


Boylesque

by AprilLightwood



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Burlesque Club, Bad Parent Maryse Lightwood, Bartender Alec Lightwood, Betaed, Burlesque, Club Owner Magnus Bane, Coming Out, Dancer Magnus Bane, Dancing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Erotic dancing, Flirting, Gay Panic, Glitter, Homophobia, M/M, Makeup, Masturbation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other additional characters to be added, POV Alec Lightwood, POV Magnus Bane, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Supportive Siblings, cocktails, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:00:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27841150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AprilLightwood/pseuds/AprilLightwood
Summary: Alec moves to New York after reluctantly coming out to his parents... to start a life of his own. In order to pay rent for his new apartment, he gets a job as a bartender in a Burlesque Club. He finds new friends there... maybe even love?Magnus is a Burlesque dancer and the owner of the night club "Seven 'O' Eight". As endeavours to sabotage the reputation of his club escalate, he soon finds himself in a situation with a new employee where he must learn to overcome the fears of his past to finally be happy.A love story about self-acceptance, broken hearts, friendships, flirtation and erotic dance.
Relationships: Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 164
Kudos: 163





	1. Finally

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Boylesque](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27841153) by [AprilLightwood](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AprilLightwood/pseuds/AprilLightwood). 



> Heeeeey, I'm back with a new story.
> 
> The idea for this Malec fanfiction was born when I watched the film Burlesque. My first intention was to retell the story of this film but with Malec as main characters. While outlining the first few chapters the story developed its own life and other/new ideas/scenes came up. 
> 
> The story is still inspired by the film and some scenes are based on the original scenes from the film but the story is now mixed with my own ideas, new/different characters and more character development.
> 
> I'm going to switch between Magnus' POV and Alec's POV, so I can show you what they're both thinking. Additional tags will be added with each new chapter. I don't want to spoil too much.
> 
> There won't be a regular uploading schedule. My plan is to upload two chapters a month but I'll try to update faster. I can't promise though.
> 
> For new readers, English isn't my first language. Even though I have a wonderful Beta ([Ruth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RAnngel74/pseuds/RAnngel74)), there might be some minor mistakes.
> 
> And now let's start with the first chapter: Alec's instruction to this story.
> 
> I wish y'all a happy reading. Enjoy!

“What do you think of Lydia, Alec?”

Alec looked up from his plate and glanced over to his mother. She was sitting at the head of the dining table, looking at him with an expression on her face that Alec could only describe as hopeful and highly expectant.  _ Uh... not good… _

“Who?" Alec asked as casually and calmly as he possibly could, but couldn't stop his words from coming out a little shaky. He hoped she hadn't noticed.

“Lydia Branwell. The New York Police Chief's daughter,” his mother replied. Alec surreptitiously shook his head. One of his mothers perfectly plucked eyebrows twitched slightly, making it clear to him that she wasn't happy with his reaction at all. As though expected to be aware of the numerous, well-to-do daughters from the various important and affluent families in and around New York. 

Alec concealed a roll of his eyes.

"I ..." Alec started as his gaze turned to Izzy. She had turned her eyes away from him, though. And now she was staring at their mother with narrowed eyes, her mouth folded in on itself so firmly that her burgundy lips almost vanished.

Alec turned his head in the other direction. His father kept his face down, the light from the ceiling lamp reflected off his near hairless head. He silently resigned himself to his food and deliberately ignored the situation building around him. Alec knew all too well that he couldn't expect any support from his father at this moment.

The only one who returned his questioning gaze was his younger brother, Max, focusing on him with those big, round eyes. He would, however, never ask Max to stand up for him against their mother, so he shook his head lightly, hoping Max would understand him; and of course, he did.

Everyone at the table knew what his mother was aiming for with this subject. It was not the first time that she had begun this line of questioning with the aim of finding him a suitable partner. As much as Alec would love to flee from this situation, he knew that Maryse Lightwood wasn’t easy to escape once she’d set her mind on something. Hence, he remained seated.

"Unfortunately I don't know her, Mom," Alec finally said as he turned to face his mother. "Why do you ask?”

Almost as though unable to predict what was about to happen, Alec sliced a generous cut from his steak and shoved it none so delicately into his mouth. His thoughts, however, raced unrestrained through his head, tumbling around and making it all the more difficult for him to devise a way to redirect the conversation to something more bearable.

“I just thought she might be the perfect match for you. She is pretty, smart and a very passionate lawyer. You two would surely complement each other very well. I’ve also known the Branwell family for years. A well-respected family in New York,” his mother explained.

Alec couldn't stop himself from wincing at her words, almost choking on the piece of steak he was chewing on. He quickly dropped his cutlery next to his plate and reached for his glass of water to wash down the piece of meat that had turned to ash in his mouth. 

“Maryse, don't you think Alec is old enough to find someone himself?” his father interrupted the conversation. Alec's eyes darted to him. It wasn't often that his father stood up for him, and even less so when he had to take a stand against his own wife.

"Thank you, Dad," Alec murmured, but so softly that his words were almost lost in the tense silence following his father's criticism. His mother glanced at her husband, furrowing her brow, a look of displeasure plain on her face.

“Robert, he is 23 years old and has never seriously courted in his life. If he continues at this pace, he will never give us the grandchildren that I want so much.”

"Mom!” Izzy and Alec shouted at the same time. His sister slammed her cutlery on the table and rolled her eyes. Alec, however, ducked his head and looked down uncomfortably at his plate. He knew how much his mother wanted him to start his own family and give her the grandchildren she had her heart set on. More than once, over the past few years, she had made that perfectly clear and it was not the first time that guilt crept through him. He knew he couldn't fulfil her wish. At least not as she desired.

“Stop interfering in Alec's life. Dad is right. He is old enough to decide for himself. Also, it's none of your business with...”

"I didn't ask you for your opinion, Isabelle," Maryse hissed, cutting Izzy’s sentence short and throwing her a stern look, the one that had always stopped them in their tracks when they were children. Izzy winced as if her mother had slapped her across the face.

“Izzy, leave it be." Alec reached over the table and put his hand on his sister's. He gave her a gentle smile from which he hoped would offer her at least a little comfort.

"But Alec..."

"Please, Iz."

His sister made a frustrated sound and for a short moment, Alec thought she would argue with him, but then she nodded, closing her mouth. Alec quietly sighed in relief. He knew his sister would like to do nothing more than give their mother a piece of her mind right now, to tell her to back off. He also knew it would only end in Izzy being scolded and that, despite his sister being one of the most confident people he knew, wasn't something she would recover from easily. It would make Izzy feel small and insufficient; something only their mother could make her feel. Alec wouldn't let it happen.

"I will call Lydia's mother tomorrow morning and arrange for a romantic get together between you and Lydia," his mother said, and as if the topic was over and done with, she went back to eating her dinner.

“Mom, I'm not going on a date with Lydia.”

“I will not tolerate any argument from you, Alec. It is finally time for you to grow up and stop hiding behind your silly dreams of writing songs no one would likely to listen to anyway. You will go on this date. Is that clear?!”

Alec's jaw dropped in bewilderment. He couldn't believe what his mother had just said to him. If truth be told, it wasn't the first time she tried to arrange a date with a girl for him, but so far Alec had always been able to shoot it down one way or another. The fact that she wanted to force him into it, the situation had reached a whole other level.

Perplexed at the finality of his mother's statement, Alec was momentarily stunned, unable to do anything but to gawk at her with his eyes and mouth open wide. Seconds passed in which only the clatter of cutlery and the regular ticking of the wall clock could be heard through the tepid silence.

Then something snapped inside him and shook him to the very core. He didn't know exactly what it was, but at that moment he knew that he couldn't live like this any more. Alec was so  _ fucking  _ tired of dancing around to his mother's tune. For as long as he could remember his parents had told him how to lead his life. Starting with, the classes he had had to attend whilst in school, the friends he had been allowed to have, including his choice of profession… also dictated by them. Now, she was trying to control with whom he should spend his future and start a family was the last straw. He saw red… 

“I suggest you wear your dark blue silk shirt… ”

"Enough!”

Alec slammed his hands on the table with such force that the plates and glasses clinked together loudly in protest. His mother gasped audibly and Max winced, startled. Alec wanted to hug his brother in reassurance right then.

“Alexander Gideon Lightwood. This is unacceptable behaviour!”

Maryse gave him a look that would have shrunk him to the size of a pea as a little boy, but not today… 

“Mom, I'm sorry if I am shattering your dreams, but I'm not going on a date with Lydia Branwell or any other girl. Not this weekend, or the weekend after, or in fact, on any other in the future. J-just for one specific reason…." 

Alec stopped himself, swallowing hard. An uneasy feeling suddenly spread through him, settling like a stone in his stomach. Alec hesitated. Was he really  _ ready  _ to tell his parents the truth about himself? Moments passed in which he fought with his uncertainty, but then he shook his head as if to rid himself of his doubts. He straightened himself, resolutely pushing his shoulders back, and then he looked his mother directly in the eyes.

_ Now or never. _

“I like boys, Mom. I am aware that it doesn't fit your idealistic view of me and my life, I can't change it and I don't want to… I'm gay.”

There... It was out. He had finally told his parents. His heart was racing like crazy, thudding against his chest and his hands were clammy with sweat, yet he felt good. Finally, relieved from the burden of his secret, that had been heavy on his shoulders all these years. He suddenly felt so light and free, he had never really noticed how much this secret had weighed on him.

Alec peered over to his siblings. The heart-warmingly proud look on Izzy's face filled his heart and Max was grinning at him with such a broad smile that Alec couldn't help but return it.

Then his eyes landed back on his parents' faces and that good feeling became a lot dampener. Alec swallowed thickly. His father's eyes were wide, the piece of steak hung forgotten on his fork only a few inches away from his mouth. His mother looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time in her life. There were unshed tears in her eyes, and she was touching her lips with the tips of her trembling fingers.

Alec leaned against the back of his chair with his arms crossed across his chest, braced for the storm that was about to ensue. 

“Do people know about this?" his mother asked. She spoke so softly that Alec struggled to hear her. Her eyes momentarily darted to the window, as though she were afraid to find a group of people gathered there, listening in and overhearing their conversation.

Alec shook his head as he answered her.

"Only Izzy, Jace and Max."

Alec had a feeling he had just said the wrong thing. A wave of emotion rolled across his mother's face. First disbelief, then shock, until her face turned dark with an angry grimace.

“You told your younger siblings? Have you taken leave of your senses? What will they think of you? It is your duty as the oldest son in this family to be their role model." His mother thwacked the table-top with the flat of her hand so furiously that it must have stung. "How could you do this to them? How could you do this to  _ us _ , Alexander?" She shook her head in disbelief. 

Alec lowered his eyes and clenched his hands into fists, burying his fingernails in the heel of his hands. He fought with all he could muster deep within himself so as not to burst into tears. He would not give his mother this victory. Not under any circumstances. He swallowed a few times, ignoring the raw and clear pain throbbing through his heart.

“Mom, don't you think you're overreact-...”

“Alec, we are one of the most respected families in Kingston. If anyone were to learn about this, our reputation would be completely ruined.”

Alec bit his bottom lip as his nostrils flared with indignation.

“But we'll get this under control. I will take care of this problem. Yes, I will.”

His mother nodded and continued to mumble softly to herself, as though she could just argue Alec's  _ problem _ away.

“Mom, I'm the same person I've always been. The only difference is that everything's just out in the open.”

His mother winced as if Alec had hit her. He ignored it.

“I'm so fed up with having to constantly pretend… just to fit into your, oh so sacred worldview. I will certainly not lie to myself any more or anyone else for that matter. ”

"That's just out of the question. Nobody will hear about this… Never. Do you hear me? You will meet Lydia next weekend.”

“Mom, what didn't you understand about what I've just said? I like boys and not ...”

“Don't be foolish, Alec. This is just one of your customary phases. It will pass." 

_ A phase? _ Alec shook his head in disbelief. He always knew that his mother would never be able to accept his predisposition. It was not for nothing that he had kept it a secret for so long. Although, the way his mother was trying to play it down was just too much. He could have been able to endure anger, or perhaps rejection, but pretending that it was just a stupid idea, a phase that would pass...

Alec jumped up from his chair so quickly that it tipped over, thudding to the floor with a loud bang. Without another word, he stormed out from his parents' dining room and ran up to his room. Hot anger pulsed through his veins, making it difficult for him to breathe.  _ Shit.. _ . 

He needed to leave. Now… 

Alec ran into his room and slammed the door shut behind him. Breathing heavily, he stood lost and disorientated in his bedroom for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart and deal with the chaos of emotions raging inside him. He closed his eyes and clenched his hands into fists, digging his fingernails deep into his palm, his knuckles turning white. Tears gathered behind his closed lids, as he bit his lower lip. 

_ Fuck _ , he never thought that his mother's rejection would hurt so much. A single tear fell from the corner of his eye- unable to stop it, it ran down his cheek. He quickly wiped it away with one hand.

_ You are loved, Alec,  _ he reminded himself.  _ Izzy, Jace and Max are there for you. They accept you the way you are _ .  _ Unconditionally _ .

He took a shaky breath before freeing himself from his rigidity. With just a few steps, he crossed the room to his closet and reached for his large travel bag. Blindly he grabbed some clothes and stuffed them in the bag, without caring how crumpled they were. He opened drawers and pulled out everything he might need for the next few days. He would get the rest of his things at a later date.

“I see you're packing.”

Alec whirled around to see his sister standing in the doorway.

"Yes, I…" Alec said shakily. 

“It's alright, Alec. I understand."

Izzy moved over to him and tightly wrapped her arms around his middle.

“I'm sorry about what happened tonight.”

“It's not your fault, Iz.”

“I'm still sorry. Mom is such a monster sometimes. How could she treat you like that? I...”

"Let it be, Izzy. Please."

His sister fell silent and nodded. Alec put his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly against himself. With a sigh on his lips, he closed his eyes and inhaled the familiar scent of jasmine that emanated from her hair. His anger instantly calmed somewhat and the pain in his heart faded to the background. Even if neither disappeared completely, he could breathe a little easier once again.

“I think you are making the right decision. You have been hiding far too long, doing what Mom wanted. It's finally time for you to live your own life,” Izzy said after a while.

Alec raised his head and looked down at his sister. Over the last eleven years, she’d always been by his side and accepted him without any ifs or buts. She had been the first person he told that he likes boys, and it had been such a relief not to have to live alone with his secret anymore. Shortly afterwards, he had also confided in Jace and Max when found out by his own actions a few years later. 

All three of his siblings had been by his side since then, and they had always made it perfectly clear to him that they would support him no matter how Mom and Dad might react if he were ever to tell them. Alec hadn't thought it would’ve been quite so bad, though.

“Thank you, Iz. What would I do without you?”

“Still be walking around in those terrible, boring clothes.” She said with a playful tone to her voice.

Alec rolled his eyes, but couldn't stop the smile that tugged at his lips.

"Take care of Max for me, okay?”

Izzy nodded on his shoulder and tightened her arms around his middle.

“Where will you go?" Izzy asked.

"New York. I've always wanted to live in a big city.”

"I'm sure it will be exciting. All those fabulous shops, designer clothes and the clubs… so many boys and girls."

Alec smiled and shook his head in amusement.

"I'll bet," he replied, then broke away from his sister's embrace.

He moved to his desk and removed a small metallic can from the upper drawer that contained his meagre savings. It wasn't much, but it would be enough for a few days until he found a new job. Finally, he reached for the photo that was resting on the bedside table and placed it carefully in his travel bag before zipping it up.

Alec looked around the room once more, the room that had been his home for the past 23 years. He had never truly felt a hundred per cent at ease here, under the roof of this house. 

Not at least, since he had discovered his own sexuality at the age of twelve. Nevertheless, he had spent many happy hours here with his siblings and it was at that moment, he knew that he would miss it. 

Especially because Izzy and Max would no longer be just down the hallway. But he would get used to it. Just as he had when Jace had moved out a few months ago to start a life of his own with his girlfriend Clary in Los Angeles.

Alec shook his head once more and absentmindedly rubbed the palm of his hand over his chest to purge the oppressive feeling still lingering there. It would make this any easier, allowing himself to get lost in memories of the past. 

He took a deep breath and grabbed his bag. Izzy followed as he vacated his room they ran into Max in the hallway. His younger brother was leaning against the door of his own room, obviously waiting for them with his arms crossed over his chest, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hey, Max," Alec said as he approached his younger sibling.

“Are you okay Alec?” his brother asked looking at him with a worried expression building behind his eyes.

“I’ll be fine.”

Max nodded to him and then pushed himself off the door. Wrapping his thin arms around Alec's waist, his brother pressed his face firmly against Alec's chest.

"I'm sorry about Mom."

Alec ruffled his fingers through his brother's thick hair and then pushed him back a little. He smiled down at Max.

"It's alright, Max. Really."

His brother nodded again, but Alec saw that his little brother was not buying his forced composure. Of course not, not even a little. They knew each other all too well; so well so, that Max could understand that Alec didn't want to talk about it right now. So, instead of replying, his little brother turned on his heel and made his way back downstairs. Alec exhaled quietly before following in Max’s footsteps, Izzy right behind him.

“Alexander, what are you doing? Where are you going?" His mother was standing in the doorway to the dining room with her hands on her hips. Her voice trembled with suppressed anger, and the look in her eyes would have made any of their restaurant suppliers run for their lives. His father stood behind her, a frown marring his forehead.

“Actually, it’s none of your business, Mom. I'm not going to spend another night here, in this house.”

“But… you can't leave just like that, Alec! We need you. We'll be swamped at the restaurant if you're not there.”

The fact that his mother was worried only about her business, that she hadn't noticed how much her reaction to his coming out had hurt him just made it all the more clearer to Alec that he needed to get out of here.

"Honestly, Mom. I don't care. I quit. If you need it in writing, I will send it to you later… as soon as I have found an apartment of my own.”

His mother gasped with outrage and without another word, she turned and disappeared back into the dining room. Shortly thereafter, the clatter of dishes could be heard in the hallway.

"And you, Dad?" Alec asked as he turned towards his father.

Robert glanced over his shoulder into the dining room behind him before bridging the last few steps between them.

"Well, I don't understand it or how it could have happened, if we did something wrong? But maybe I don't have to understand it. I think I just need a little time. Nevertheless, you are my son and that will never change.”

Alec nodded to his father. It wasn't the warm words he had hoped for, but at least his father was trying to accept it. It was a start.

“I better go check on Mom. Take care of yourself, Alec."

His father patted his shoulder once and then followed his mother into the dining room. 

Alec let his shoulders sag and exhaled slowly. Arms surrounded him from both sides. Alec was so grateful that Izzy and Max were here for him at this difficult moment.

“I know it's not easy right now, but don't hang your head. After all, you still have us.”

"Thank you, Max." Alec hugged his little brother tightly.

"We'll miss you, big brother," Izzy murmured.

“I'll still be around.”

"Still, too far away, though."

"It's just 90 miles, Iz."

"As I said. Too far away."

Alec rolled his eyes and smiled. Izzy had always been the drama queen in the family, and he loved her even more for it.

"As soon as I've adjusted to my new life in New York, you both will come to visit me, okay?"

"Okay," answered Izzy.

"Definitely.”

"Good… Now enough with all the sentimentalities," Alec said finally, delicately pushing his siblings away from him. 

He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep himself together; and he didn't want to cry in front of his siblings, not under any circumstances. It would break their hearts.

Izzy pulled Max into her arms while pressing a kiss into his hair.

“Will you send me a postcard?” Max asked and at that moment Alec realized that despite his fourteen years his little brother was still a child.

"Yes, of course, I will.”

The smile that spread across Max's face warmed Alec's heart, and he vowed to send him a postcard of New York every day. He would do anything to make his siblings happy, even if it was just something as simple as sending a postcard.

Izzy suddenly covered Max's ears with her hands while ignoring her younger brother's indignant "Hey".

“Don't let the first guy give you one off the wrist, okay?"

“Izzy!”

"And watch your ass. There are bound to be a lot of bachelors who'd love to eat it up."

"Jeez, you are impossible." Alec rolled his eyes and shook his head fondly.

His sister threw her head back laughing and Max took advantage of the moment to break away from her.

"Please call us once you have arrived in New York and have found a place to stay," Izzy said, wrapping her arms around herself.

"I will do," Alec replied, slipping on his leather boots. Then reaching for his leather jacket he shouldered his travel bag and gave Izzy and Max one last look before stepping out into the darkness of the night and into a new life. A life that he could lead his own way, no more rules… finally. 


	2. Not today but tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies,
> 
> thank you so much for all the kudos and comments on the first chapter. Every single one made me so happy. :)
> 
> This chapter is about Magnus. The first Malec moment will come with the next chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> April :*

"She’s done it again!" 

Magnus peered up from his desk, a frown marred his forehead as he caught sight of his closest and long-time friend, Raphael, storming into his office with such an aggravated expression on his face it would have probably made everyone in the vicinity skedaddle, flee for the hills.

"What happened?" Magnus asked, looking at his friend with deep concern. He had an inkling of what had happened and the frown on his forehead deepened.

Instead of receiving an answer from Raphael, an unfolded newspaper landed noisily on his desk in front of him, covering the invoices he was in the process of reviewing.

Magnus glanced down at the newspaper without reading it and with a questioning mien, he gazed back up at Raphael. His friend slumped down into one of the two leather armchairs on the opposite side of the desk with an angry snort, narrowing his eyes at the newspaper, as though he could make the printed words disappear with his gaze alone.

Magnus raised an eyebrow and with his arms crossed across his chest, he leaned back against the soft upholstery of his luxurious desk chair. Peering back and forth between the newspaper and his long-time friend, silently urging him to explain exactly what had happened. Raphael just rolled his eyes, causing Magnus’ eyebrow to rise until it practically disappeared into his hairline.

"What?" Raphael asked.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, my dear friend, but I'm still unable to read your mind."

Raphael made a sound that made it clear he had hoped for just that.

"You don’t need to read my thoughts, but the article," Raphael scolded impatiently.

Magnus peered down at the source of Raphael's bad mood. This time, however, he began reading. Bane's Burlesque Lounge is not as bad as a cheap strip club, but worse, was written in bold letters at the beginning of the article. Magnus grimaced and his stomach turned.

"I think maybe it’s better that I don’t read this crap."

"I don't know how she always manages to find these amateur journalists, but she does. I swear the next time I see her..."

Raphael interrupted himself, jumping up from the armchair and throwing his hands up in the air. Magnus cocked his head lightly and blinked in surprise when Raphael started pacing up and down in front of him like a caged tiger. He hadn't seen him this upset in a long time. The article had certainly gotten under his skin.

Raphael uttered a few curse words that made Magnus’ ears burn, and then he grunted in his native tongue, Spanish, as if trying to summon something from the depths of hell. Magnus watched the spectacle, following his best friend with his eyes until dizzied by his rapid movements. Without interrupting his rant, Raphael reverted to English.

"This article is worse than the others and their choice of words ..."

Raphael stopped abruptly and reached for the newspaper.

"... where other shows can be described as erotic or artful, the burlesque show at Magnus Banes Club is just boring and unprofessional. The music is bland, the dancing performances uninteresting and drab, and the performers' stripping montage is more than amateurish. The show is simply aiming to display as much skin as possible... literally overwhelming you with an almost obscene display of tits..." Raphael paused and shook his head. "Does the guy have any idea of what burlesque is about?" Raphael asked, outraged. "And look at his name. Raj… what kind of ridiculous name is that anyway…"

Without waiting for a response from Magnus, Raphael continued to read from the printed text. "Where others might have been able to enjoy the erotic dancing, I had already more enjoyment from eating tasteless aeroplane like food..."

Magnus could almost see the clouds of smoke coming from his friend's ears, fearful that he might explode at any moment. He hurriedly jumped up from his chair, circled his desk with a few brisk steps, and snatched the newspaper from Raphael's hand. Magnus folded the rag of a newspaper and before Raphael could react, he tossed it into his waste-basket. Raphael stared at him with his mouth agape.

"What...?" Raphael started, but Magnus put a finger under his chin and by gently lifting it, he closed Raphael’s mouth.

"Darling, don't worry about this journalist's words. It won’t lead to anything. Except, of course, you getting upset… that's exactly what she wants."

"How can you be so calm, Magnus? I would’ve gone ballistic," Raphael said as if he hadn't done just that.

Magnus sighed softly and sat back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other with grace.

"My dear Raphael. That's why I run this club and you don’t."

Raphael grimaced and dropped back into the armchair with a huff.

"I've also had years of practice dealing with her taunts," Magnus added, but couldn't avoid sounding a little concerned. Fortunately, Raphael hadn't noticed.

"You call these taunts? Magnus, that's defamation. This is now the fourth article of its kind in six months and people are slowly beginning to believe that what is written here is true."

Magnus ran his hand over his right ear and fiddled with his silver ear cuff.

"And what do you suggest I do? Talk to her?" Magnus asked, jumping up from his chair as if he’d been burnt.

"That would be a start, yes," Raphael replied.

Magnus ran his fingertips through the hair on his chin and then leaned forward, bracing himself on his desk with both hands.

"I don't know if I can do that, Raph. Not after ..." Magnus paused as a sound of distress erupted from his throat.

Memories of his time with Camille suddenly popped in his head. Memories of how she had played with him through all those years they had been together, how she had manipulated him. How she had made him feel that he didn't deserve anyone else's love, that she was the only one who could ever truly love him... Magnus suddenly felt like someone had pierced his heart with a dagger and he gasped softly. Damn it...

He looked down at his hands as he clenched them into fists. Anger swelled deep in his chest, churning and coiling. Anger that Camille was still able to affect him like this.

"I thought you were over her?" Raphael asked. The astonished and worried tone in his friend's voice made Magnus flinch. Was he such a good actor that he could still convince Raphael? Apparently yes...

"I don't want to talk about it," Magnus said, avoiding Raphael's eyes.

"But…"

"Please," Magnus implored. He didn't know if he could face that whole situation again. It was easier to put the memories of his time with Camille in the darkest corners of his mind. Unfortunately, they didn't always remain there...

Raphael sighed loudly, studying him for a few minutes, but then he nodded in defeat.

"Okay. But if you need someone to talk to about it... You know Maia and I are here for you. Always. Don't let it knock you off your feet again. Okay?"

"I promise," Magnus answered, nodding. At that moment, however, he was not sure whether he could truly keep his promise. Magnus took a deep breath and pushed the chaos of emotion inside him aside. There were more important things to deal with right now than his love life and failed relationships.

"What do we do about the articles now?" Raphael asked after a moment of silence. "Should I talk to her?"

Magnus sat back in his chair, shaking his head. He didn't want anyone close to him to have contact with this woman at all. She was poison, in a highly concentrated form. If someone had to deal with her, he would do it himself. But…

"Let's just wait and see what happens."

"Magnus ..."

"Damn it Raph...! We can't even prove that she's behind it."

Raphael made an exasperated sound while rolling his eyes in annoyance.

"Magnus, it started a few days after you broke up with her. Of course, she's behind it."

Magnus knew that Raphael was right. It suited Camille’s insidious and manipulative nature right down to the bone. But as long as they had nothing to hand, they really couldn't do anything about it. Camille would only laugh in his face if he confronted her empty-handed and without any solid evidence.

"Raphael, let's not pursue the issue with Camille any further for the time being. I have more important issues to deal with at the moment. For example, how to pay this pile of invoices."

Magnus had to pull himself together to stop the stack of papers on his desk from following the newspaper into the trash. With a frustrated sound on his lips, he leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

Silence lingered heavily between them, and each of them pondered on their private thoughts for a moment.

"Unfortunately, I have more bad news," Raphael said suddenly.

Magnus sighed heavily and peered at Raphael with one eye.

"Has Gretel torn her costume again?"

"No." Raphael shook his head, frowning. "It's worse. Alaric has quit. He said he doesn't want to continue working in a club that may be on the brink of closing down."

Magnus swore softly as he squeezed the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. It was one thing to deal with such poorly researched reviews of his club appearing in the newspapers. That, he could handle. Well, as long as he refused to acknowledge them. But the fact that these articles were slowly starting to have an impact on his club's success was something that concerned him. Damn it. It was worse than he had wanted to admit.

Magnus tapped his index finger against his lower lip and stared blankly at the invoices on his desk. He unquestionably needed a strong drink right now. With a practised motion, he opened the top drawer of his desk but found it empty. He swore under his breath as he slammed the drawer shut. Right. He had intended to quit drinking.

Magnus took a deep breath and swallowed the anger that was laying bitter on his tongue.

"Okay. Place an ad in the regional newspapers. We need another bartender. Maia and Bat can manage the bar on their own for a few days, but that isn't a situation we can handle for too long."

Raphael nodded his agreement.

"All right. I'll take care of it."

"Thank you. What would I do without you?"

"Still be drinking that damn bad whiskey. Honestly, I don't understand how you could ever drink that stuff."

"You get used to everything eventually, darling."

Magnus winked at Raphael, who only shook his head in disbelief as if Magnus had gone insane.

"Is there anything else to discuss?"

"Not from my side," Raphael answered.

"Well, please take care of the job ad as soon as possible," Magnus asked.

Raphael rose from the leather armchair and left Magnus alone in his office. The door had barely closed behind his friend when Magnus slumped forward. He put his forehead on the desk, burying the pile of bills beneath him.

Raphael was right. He couldn't ignore these articles any longer. They were getting worse and they didn't shed a good light on his club. He had ignored the negative reviews over the past few weeks in the hope that Camille would eventually lose the desire to sabotage him. But apparently, he had been too naive. He should have known. When Camille wanted something, there was no stopping her. She would always fight with every resource at her disposal to fulfil her hankerings. The ends justify the means, including breaking the law and crossing the line, even going over one’s dead body; at least proverbially.

Magnus let out a frustrated sigh. He didn't have much of a choice but to tackle her head on regarding the articles, and as soon as possible. The thought of facing her once again made his stomach contract uncomfortably. He just wasn't ready, and he probably never would be. Not after she crushed his heart under her pointed designer stilettos like a piece of useless meat.

Magnus closed his eyes for a moment and listened to the muffled music that seeped into his office from the public showroom. He let the music wash over him, going through the choreography of the artists in his mind, which he knew inside out. Well, maybe this Raj wasn't that wrong. Maybe it was time to spice up the music a bit. But how? Magnus had no answer to that.

With another sigh on his lips, he straightened himself up again. He stared at the invoices in front of him, then pushed them together and stacked them into a pile. They could wait until tomorrow.

Magnus got up and left his office. He really could use a drink, especially after today's events. Just one, he warned himself.

With a sizable stride, he moved through the corridor towards the bar. As soon as he had left the rear area of the club, he was surrounded by the cheerful music of the current performance. 

Aline and Helen were currently on stage performing their parody, which involved audience participation. They had just brought a young man up onto the stage, who seemingly couldn't get enough of the two women. The two performers hadn't even started stripping off their costumes yet.

Magnus smirked and let his eyes slide across the room. Not all seats were occupied and there was only one young couple at the bar, but for a Wednesday evening, the show was well attended. Sure, there had been a time when his club was sold out every day. But, he could no longer deny that the reviews were having an impact, shedding a bad light on his club. Magnus sighed softly to himself.

He could only hope that he would find the courage and the energy to confront Camille before the reputation of his burlesque lounge was washed down the East River. He would have to find a way to prove that she was behind the article. This was the only way she wouldn't be able to break his freshly patched heart again with her manipulative and complacent manner.

Tomorrow, he thought. He would think about it tomorrow. Raphael would make sure that he wouldn't put the issue on the bench for too long, and he still had a few weeks until the next edition of the newspaper was published.

Magnus pushed his concerns about the club and his thoughts on the articles aside. The evening was still relatively young, and he did not want to think about any eventualities or amateurish reviews for the rest of the day. He had also promised himself a drink.

With another deep sigh on his lips, Magnus bridged the last few meters to the bar and then stepped behind the counter. But he didn't get very far. Maia was immediately baring his way, placing a hand on his chest to stop him from walking any further.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"As far as I know, I am still the owner of this club," Magnus replied, cocking his head a little to the side.

Maia's eyes narrowed at him. She had her curly hair pinned up tonight and her golden hoop earrings caught the warm light of the chandeliers.

"As long as I'm in charge of the bar, you have no right to be behind the counter. So, leave and let us do our job."

Before Magnus could counter, she had pushed him back and out of the area. Magnus shook his head in amusement, but he let it go and sat on one of the vacant bar stools at the end of the bar.

"Then at least you can mix me a drink?" Magnus asked.

Maia narrowed her eyes for a moment. Bat, who was mixing a cocktail for one of the guests, gave him a questioning look, which Magnus deliberately ignored.

"What happened to your 'I’ll never drink a drop of alcohol again'?"

Magnus just shrugged his shoulders. Maia stared at him for a minute or two longer, then shook her head.

"What? Am I not allowed to change my mind?" He asked, whereupon Maia raised one of her perfectly curved eyebrows. Magnus almost thought that Maja would start an argument with him, but then she responded with another nod.

"Okay. Fine. What do you want to drink?" She finally asked.

"The usual," he replied.

It took less than a few minutes for Maia to place a freshly mixed Martini on the counter in front of him.

"Thank you." He gave Maia a small, short smile.

Loud applause and acclamation suddenly roared and echoed through the club, drowning out the music momentarily. Magnus glanced over to the stage, captured by Helen's corset sailing through the air. The colourful stage lights above caught the numerous small Swarovski stones making them sparkle brilliantly as they moved. Magnus smiled. No matter how many times he had seen this show, the playful use of erotic in Burlesque never lost its fascination. He sipped his Martini and let the bitter taste of the cocktail linger on his tongue for a moment before swallowing the liquid.

Movement from the corner of his eye brought his attention back to the bar. Maia hadn't moved an inch and was observing him closely. Magnus gave her a questioning look.

"What happened?" Maia asked.

Magnus sighed softly and avoided her scrutiny. He placed the half-full glass on the counter.

"Why would something have happened?" he coolly replied.

Maia crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin to the cocktail on the bar. Magnus only shook his head in answer to her question. But he couldn't easily brush off his friend and the best bartender he’s ever had.

"This is not the right time to talk about it, Maia," Magnus said quietly, taking another sip of his Martini.

"Do you want to talk about it later?"

Magnus appreciated Maia for always looking out for her colleagues. She was a good soul to everyone here in the club, she had a big heart. If someone had a dilemma or just needed someone to listen to their problems, Maia was always there. As she regularly was for him too.

Maia had become a valued friend to him over the years she had been working in his club. She had comforted him more than once when Camille had taken her games too far. In addition to Raphael, he counted her among his closest friends, yet he was still her boss. There were certain matters that he simply did not want to or could not discuss with her, and certainly not if curious guests could eavesdrop on their conversation.

So he shook his head again, and he was relieved to see that Maia understood immediately. She gave him an encouraging smile and put a hand over his.

"If you do, you know where to find me."

With these words, she went back to take the next guests order, leaving him alone with his drink.

Magnus glanced around the club again while taking in the exuberant and happy state of the guests.

The club was his pride and joy. That Camille was now trying to take that away from him too, made him even more nervous and afraid than he had let on to Raphael. But he would find a way to stop his ex-girlfriend from destroying everything he had worked so hard for. He didn't know what she was up to with her attempt at trying to sabotage his club's reputation, but he would find out. Sooner or later.

Magnus chugged down the rest of his Martini in one go and placed the empty glass back on the counter. He slipped off the barstool and went to mingle with the guests. Tonight he just wanted to enjoy his life and not think about his dilemma. Perhaps he would find someone who would be willing to keep him company for a few hours later, and at best help him to forget for a short time, just how hard life could be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and/or leave kudos. Both are highly appreciated! Thank you! 💖


	3. Lost in glitter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone,
> 
> as promised yesterday, here is the next chapter of Boylesque. 
> 
> Alec slowly settles into his new life in New York and meets new people, especially THE ONE 😉😁. How it goes? Well, find out in this chapter.
> 
> It is written in Alec's POV again. 
> 
> If you want to tweet about this story/chapter, the hashtag is #boylesquefic and for those who don't know, I'm @commanderapril1 on Twitter. 😊
> 
> Enjoy and Merry Christmas to y'all 🌲😘

With a firm click, the main door closed behind Alec’s new landlord Mr Scott, leaving him alone in the amenable silence of his new apartment.

With his main goal achieved and nothing requiring his immediate attention, Alec leaned his weight against the door behind him, a contented sigh left his throat and echoed unnaturally loud through the otherwise quiet apartment. The bag he carried slipped from his shoulder, slumping to the floor and landing next to his feet with a dull thud. Alec scanned the expanse before him, taking in his new home. His very first apartment...

A low, warm rumble bubbled deep in his chest, slowly making its way out of his throat, he chuckled to himself. He now had his very own apartment. A life of his own. _Finally_ … He couldn’t withhold the smile that spread wide across his face.

Alec stood immobile against the door for a short time, just enjoying the thought of being entirely in control of his own life, for the first time the master of his fate. There was no one here to tell him what to do or how to behave. He could stand stark naked at the window while howling his joy at the full moon in the dead of night if he wanted to. Nobody would judge him for it. Nobody would criticize him. Well, maybe his neighbours would, but they were strangers, so he shouldn't care about their opinions, should he? Okay, maybe he should start with something a little less wild as a statement of freedom, something that wouldn't make his neighbours think he was a lunatic.

Alec shook his head with amusement at his thoughts. He detached himself from the door with a huff and collected his travel bag from the floor, he crossed the room with just a few strides and tossed the bag on the sofa. Which was upholstered with some kind of washed-out grey material, a curiously odd-looking white spot on the right armrest drew Alec to lean in and take a closer look. He scrunched his nose as multiple scenarios crossed his mind. It was probably better to not imagine what it might be. Matching decorative pillows rested along the back of the sofa, giving it a fairly cosy appearance. Overall it seemed okay, although, Alec feared it might break if he were to sit down on it.

Alec opened his bag and took out the framed picture that had decorated his bedside table for the past few years. It was a photo of himself and his siblings. The picture had been taken three years ago in his parents' garden during a warm summer day. Izzy was resting against his back and beamed into the camera with a hearty laugh. She had been just about to put a pink flower in his hair. Max was trying to escape Jace's insistent teasing and was half-hiding behind Alec. The big grin on his youngest brother's face showed, however, that he had been having fun. It had been one of the days when Alec had been really happy and he silently thanked his father for capturing that moment with the camera for eternity.

Alec walked over to the bed that was half-hidden behind an aged folding wooden room dividing screen and placed the framed photo on the small side table next to his new bed, looking at the photo for a few more moments, a small smile curled his lips upward.

He wrenched himself from his reverie a few moments later. Removing the canister that contained his savings from his bag. Alec turned in a circle scanning the room for a suitable location for which to hide it. He frowned when he couldn't spot anywhere appropriate. Then his eyes landed on the bathroom door and an idea popped up in his head. He found an undamaged plastic bag in one of the cupboards in the kitchen and securely wrapped up the money box. When he was sure it was watertight, he carefully placed it in the toilet cistern.

He had barely put the lid back in place when his phone began to ring. Alec moved quickly into the living room and fished his smartphone out from the inside pocket of his leather jacket.

"Hi, Jace."

"Hey, buddy. Are you okay?"

Alec cautiously sat on the sofa, suitably surprised and flabbergasted that the old thing supported his weight. Although it creaked dangerously, it didn't break in half as he'd imagined.

"Of course. Everything is fine."

Alec kicked the shoes off his feet and leaned back against the soft cushions. The sofa was thankfully more comfortable than it looked.

A snort of disbelief trilled through the earpiece. Alec could practically hear his brother rolling his eyes on the other end.

"Bullshit, Alec. I know for a fact that everything is not okay."

Alec tilted his head back and covered his eyes with his free forearm, while the other held the phone firmly against his ear.

"Izzy told you what happened."

Jace growled in confirmation.

"Sorry, Jace. I didn't want to bother you with it. You and mom are so close. I… "

"Alec, don't do that, okay? You know you can talk to me about anything."

Alec took a deep breath and slowly released it.

"I know."

"Good… How are you doing right now? I can imagine, but it must have been hell for you."

"I've had better days if I'm being honest."

"In other words, you feel shitty."

Alec made a sound that was half a joyless laugh and half a choked gasp. Jace never beat around the bush and was always able to get right to the point. However, this did not always earn him the most positive reactions.

Alec closed his eyes and hummed in confirmation. His mother's words suddenly reappearing in his mind, a desperate and somewhat forlorn sound escaped his throat without his control. Had it only been two days since he’d told his parents that he was gay? God, it felt like years had passed since that evening.

"Alec, should we come over? We can take the next flight… be with you by tomorrow evening," Jace asked. He sounded seriously concerned.

"No. I'm okay."

Alec noted a few tears had gathered at the corner of his eyes. _Shit_ ... He hastily wiped them away with the back of his hand, but he couldn't hide a stifled sob that trembled through his chest.

"Alec ..."

"How is Clary? How’s her art studies going?" he asked, hastily interrupting his brother. Alec knew that once again he was suppressing his emotions, but if he opened up to Jace about it now, he would break down completely and he was just about holding himself together as it was.

Jace sighed heavily, but agreed upon the change of subject and told Alec the latest events from his life with Clary in Los Angeles. At some point, however, this topic became exhausted and before Alec could put an end to the conversation with his brother, Jace imposed him with further questions.

"Have you managed to find an apartment?"

"Yeah. It's small and very simple, but at least it doesn't have any cockroaches."

Jace laughed heartily at that and Alec bathed in the cheerful sound for a moment. Jace's laughter had once caused butterflies in his stomach, but that time had passed by long ago.

"That's good to hear. What about a job? Have you been successful there yet?"

"Not yet. I was planning to take care of that tomorrow."

"Let me know if I can be of any help. I know you want to do everything by yourself, but please let us help where we can, okay?"

Alec swallowed a few times against the sudden lump in his throat.

“Okay” Alec couldn't stop his voice from sounding hoarse and thick.

"Promise?"

Alec rolled his eyes at his brother’s concern.

"Yes, Jace. I promise."

"Good. So ..."

"Jace, If you don’t mind. I've only just moved into my new apartment and I'd like to take care of a few things before I hit the hay, and I’m pretty tired."

All he had to do, of course, was to stare at the empty, cold walls of his apartment, but Jace didn't need to know that.

"Say hi to Clary for me."

Before Jace could form a reply, Alec ended the call and threw the phone down on the sofa next to him. He would apologize to Jace for abruptly hanging up at some point over the next few days.

Alec's gaze wandered to the ceiling and with horror, he discovered a dark patch there. He sincerely hoped that it was from an old, previously repaired water problem. He could do without spontaneous showers in his living room.

Alec let out a sigh. So this was his new life now. A simple and slightly run-down apartment that was hardly any bigger than the living room in his parents' house. In an undesirable neighbourhood in downtown New York a place where he probably shouldn't wander around the dark streets late at night. At least the rent was reasonably priced, and he hoped he could get by with a job that wouldn't take up all the hours of his day, leaving him enough time to continue with his song writing.

Alec rummaged through the chaos of his travel bag and removed the notebook in which he wrote down all his thoughts and ideas. The cover was already quite worn and a few pages were loose but next to his siblings, it was the most valuable thing in his life.

He had written down all his feelings, worries and fears in this book, transforming them into songs. Perhaps one day he would find someone who took a liking to his writing and was willing to give voice to the silent words. Alec had an ear for music and a knack with words, at least when writing them down, but unfortunately, he didn't have much of a singing voice.

Lost in thought and leafing through his notes; suddenly the discernable squeaking of a bed from the neighbouring apartment penetrated his own. It didn't take more than a minute for the typical moans and groans of pleasure to join the cadenced squeaking sounds.

Alec leaned his head back on the sofa and made a vexed sound. Now he knew why the apartment was so cheap. With a desperate groan on his lips, Alec closed his notebook and put his hands over his ears. He tilted sideways on the sofa and closed his eyes, hoping his neighbours wouldn't be enjoying themselves throughout the whole Saturday evening.

***

Two days later, Alec found himself standing in front of a night club. "Seven ‘O’ Eight - Bane’s Burlesque Lounge" artfully inscribed in large pink and gold neon letters above its entrance. A staircase led up to an entryway on the first floor and Alec double-checked the address he had written down on a small piece of paper. Yes, he was standing in front of the correct building.

The guy on the phone hadn't informed him this was a bartending job in a burlesque lounge. Admittedly, Alec didn't care what kind of establishment it was in that he would be mixing drinks for patrons; as long as there weren’t any X-rated performances, he could live with practically anything.

Alec had, of course, heard of burlesque, but apart from the fact that the dancers and artists stripped off their clothes, he hadn’t a clue of what was involved in this type of artform. Alec shrugged his shoulders and started to climb the steps that lead to the entrance. At least the club had a well-groomed and elegant presentation on the surface, at least on the outside.

He found the front door locked, which was of no surprise since the club wouldn't be open for a few hours. Alec rang the doorbell, tapped one foot against the floor beneath him with a steady, calming rhythm while he waited for someone to answer the door.

Minutes passed prompting Alec to fear that no one was home when he heard the click of a key turning in the lock. A few seconds later, he found himself face to face with a well-groomed man with raven black hair and equally dark eyes. He was wearing a dark moss green suit that Alec could safely say came from one of those expensive designer labels his sister loved so much.

"Nice suit," Alec said before he could stop the words falling from his mouth. _Where did that come from?_ Alec strived to keep himself from hiding his face in his hands from embarrassment.

The man raised a sceptical eyebrow but didn't say a word. Alec ran his fingers across his forehead.

“Armani or Dolce & Gabbana?” he asked to fill the tense silence between them.

"Canali," the man replied matter of factly in a dry tone and Alec almost bit his tongue. Maybe he should have listened more to Izzy's lengthy rants about designer brands.

"I'm Alec Lightwood. Um, I’ve come to present myself for the bartending job," Alec said, extending his hand to the man.

For a moment the other man just stared at his proffered hand, without making any move to repay Alec's greeting. Great, he'd seemingly already made a bad impression on the guy if he didn't even want to shake his hand. Alec let his hand fall to his side, a little deflated.

"Raphael Santiago… Come on in, Mr Lightwood."

Mr Santiago took a step aside and motioned for him to enter the club. Alec suppressed an uncomfortable feeling that was growing in his stomach and followed the invitation inside.

The interior didn't look like Alec had imagined a burlesque club would look. If he were being honest, he had no idea what a club of this type was supposed to look like.

Numerous chandeliers hung from the tall ceiling at regular intervals, which would most likely bath the room in a dimmed, romantic light later that evening. Now, however, fluorescent tubes lit up the room and gave the club an almost frigid atmosphere. Tiny particles of dust danced through the air until landing on the upholstered armrests of red armchairs, which were keeping small dark wooden tables company between the bar and an imposing stage. One of these typical theatre curtains hid the stage. The only difference was that the curtain was almost entirely immersed in glitter. Alec had never seen so much glitter in one place and that should mean something. Izzy adorned almost all of her clothes with the sparkling substance.

Without saying another word, Mr Santiago stepped past him. Alec followed behind, down the wrought iron stairs and into the clubs’ main room. They bypassed the bar, which was fully stocked with hundreds of assorted bottles. Only with a second glance did Alec notice that this was an effect caused by the huge mirror that embellished the entire wall behind the bar.

Mr Santiago led him further to the rear area of the club, which only employees were permitted to enter, as Alec could see from the conspicuous hanging sign on the connecting door. Even here they hadn't skimp on the glitter. Alec shook his head in amusement.

The hallway beyond was bathed in a softer much warmer light. Pictures of artists and dancers in colourful costumes adorned the walls and gave Alec the first glimpse of the shows that were being staged here. Of course, there was no lack of glitter in the costumes.

Alec couldn't take a closer look at the photos, though, since Mr Santiago had already disappeared into an adjoining office. Alec caught up quickly and closed the door behind himself.

Mr Santiago had already made himself comfortable behind a desk that looked like it was a vintage piece from some time out of the last century.

"Please take a seat," the personnel manager offered, motioning to a leather armchair on the opposite side of the desk.

Alec sat down in the leather armchair and almost disappeared into it. That was remarkable, after all, he was not exactly small being a grand 1.90m or 6’3”. He hardly had time to make himself comfortable in the chair before Mr Santiago began to bombard him with the questions.

"So, Mr Lightwood, have you ever worked behind a bar before?"

Mr Santiago leaned forward, his elbows now resting on the antique desk, his fingers interlocked. He looked directly at Alec with no sign of emotion on his face and Alec shifted a little uncomfortably in the chair. Even the undead would be more charismatic than this guy.

"Not exactly… However, I’ve worked efficiently in my parents' restaurant for the past five years, where among other things, I was responsible for mixing drinks."

"So you can differentiate between a mojito, a margarita, and a martini?" Mr Santiago questioned with a raised brow.

"A martini is served with gin or vodka. Tequila is the basis for a margarita and the mojito cannot be without white rum."

Mr Santiago nodded.

"Are you savvy with any other cocktails?"

"I can mix the basics. But I am a quick study. So the rest shouldn't be a problem."

Mr Santiago nodded again, not giving Alec any indication if he approved of Alec's responses or not.

"Do you know what kind of club this is?"

"Uhm ... a burlesque club," Alec replied a little hesitantly. Mr Santiago raised an eyebrow as if to make it clear that this was the most obvious answer he could have given. Alec crossed his arms over his chest and stared back without batting an eyelid.

"And do you have any idea what burlesque is, exactly?" the personnel manager asked after a short silence.

"Uhm, no… not really. I know that in part, it’s some kind of erotic dance, but that's all I know."

"Then why do you want to work at this club?"

"It's simple. I need a job to be able to pay my rent. Nothing more, nothing less."

Mr Santiago hummed contentedly. The first sign that Alec wasn't completely making a fool of himself.

"I appreciate your honesty, Mr Lightwood."

Alec nodded in surprise, then mimicked the posture that Mr Santiago had assumed a few moments ago. He leaned back, hands still clasped over his chest. The upholstery of the armchair felt harder against his back than one might’ve thought.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them and Alec was feverishly debating what else he could say to convince the other man that he was the right man for the job. Before Alec could say anything further, though, the personnel manager spoke.

"Okay, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself behind the bar, just one evening. If you do any better than your knowledge of designer brands, you’ll have the job."

A smile tugged at Alec's lips. That would not be a problem.

"All right. When should I start?"

“Today,” Mr Santiago said as he glanced at his expensive gold watch, which gleamed under the glow of the ceiling light. "Your shift starts in one hour. I hope this is not a problem for you," he added after a moment of silence.

Alec frowned. It wouldn't be worth going back to his apartment.

"Not at all. Do you mind if I make myself familiar with the bar beforehand?"

Mr Santiago shook his head.

"The bar is all yours. Maia, our bar manager, will be here in half an hour. She will show you everything you need to know going forward."

Alec rose from his chair and looked down at the personnel manager, unsure whether he should stay or just go.

"You can find the way on your own?" Mr Santiago asked without moving from his chair.

Alec nodded and promptly left the office and after closing the door behind himself, he was left standing in the hallway for a moment to collect his thoughts.

A soft sigh of relief escaped him. The interview and conversation had gone better than he'd expected.

Particularly after he had virtually embarrassed himself by his nonexistent knowledge about designer labels. Even though he had just one evening to impress his potential new employer with his abilities, Alec believed he could do it. He hadn't lied when he told Mr Santiago he was a quick learner.

Alec shook himself from his musings as he took in his surroundings, glancing around. To his right, a spiral staircase led up to another floor and Alec briefly wondered what was located up there, when he heard several female voices, distantly, from somewhere above. He suspected that it was most likely the artists’ green room.

Alec turned left and walked through the hallway back in the direction he had come, back towards the bar, passing by another office on his way. He had noticed the door earlier, but now it was ajar. Alec peeked into the room as he passed and then came to a sudden stop. His chin dropped down to the floor, resting somewhere at his feet, leaving his mouth agape.

_Wow, what ...? Holy crap!_

Half-hidden behind a huge desk was sitting the most breathtaking man Alec had ever seen… Alec was struggling to breathe.

The stranger had his head slightly bowed and was completely engrossed in the pile of papers that lay haphazardly in front of him. Although, from where he stood by the gap in the door, Alec could see that the man's face was beautiful. His high cheekbones bestowed a graceful appearance and the black eyeshadow offered a dramatic air about him, it was both attractive and mysterious. His black hair was gelled up high into a modern hairstyle, resembling a mohawk, and the tips of his hair were tinted with purple glitter.

The stranger moved the fingers of his right hand, almost in an absent-minded manner, as if he were playing with something invisible floating in the air. The movements were so smooth and elegant that Alec was utterly transfixed and spellbound. He bit his lip and just stared at the spectacle.

It was only when the delicate clattering of the man's necklaces brushing together reached his ears did Alec manage to tear his eyes away from the hypnotic movement of the stranger’s hand. The man still hadn't noticed him and kept his gaze lowered, hiding the secret colour of his eye. They must be beautiful, just like the rest of him. Alec wished for nothing more but the man to look up so he could gaze upon him. But at the same time, Alec wasn't sure if he would be able to survive.

_Jesus, what was he doing here? Come on, Lightwood, move._

Before Alec could slide away unnoticed, the glittery man glanced up and it was then their eyes connected. Alec saw the other man's eyes widen slightly before a smile danced across the man's lips, fine laugh lines appearing at the corners of his eyes when the stranger’s smile broadened. Instantaneously, Alec's heart and soul were set adrift, unmoored and untethered…

 _By the Angels_ … This man's eyes were spellbinding and simply beautiful. Alec could happily spend hours studying each facet of colour, contently drowning in their endless depths. Anyone else would probably have only seen plain, common brown, but to Alec, they glowed like liquid caramel, a warm whisky brown in the lamp's soft light. Alec could imagine how they might change colour under the sunlights caress. They would certainly shimmer a mysterious amber.

Alec swallowed hard. He could write a hundred songs about this beautiful captivating pair of eyes and yet none of his words would do them justice. Even the song of angels couldn't describe how beautiful... _Congratulations Lightwood, you've just lost your mind…_

Without warning, the man suddenly shot him a coy wink and Alec ducked his head in embarrassment. He couldn't stop a deep blush from creeping up on his cheeks. _Shit_ , he had been staring at the man for several minutes and he had gotten caught doing it. _Damn. Damn. Damn_. He could only hope that the glittering man did not hold a position of importance here. He'd probably already justly labelled Alec as a crazy person.

Without a word, Alec continued with haste on his way back to the bar, fleeing from the embarrassing situation. His heart was pounding against his chest and he cursed under his breath. Practically running down the hallway, he felt a warm tingling sensation in his stomach. A soft laugh followed him, it echoed through Alec's ears, a caress like warm summer rain. It was the most beautiful laugh he had ever heard…


	4. Please, don't hide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone,
> 
> as promised, here is the next chapter of Boylesque.
> 
> Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments on the last chapter. Every single one made me so happy. :)
> 
> Alec and Magnus meet again and well, Alec is a bit overwhelmed... 😉😁
> 
> If you want to tweet about this story/chapter, the hashtag is #boylesquefic and for those who don't know, I'm @commanderapril1 on Twitter. 😊
> 
> Enjoy!

Magnus entered his best friends’ office with a lavish swing of his hips, "Good morning, darling," he said as he declared himself brightly in greeting. 

Swiftly crossing the space, deftly moving to the vintage desk across the room and perching on the edge with seamless, agile movements.

Raphael looked up from the documents he was engrossed with reading and blinked at Magnus momentarily, a perplexed expression maring his brow. Then his eyes fluttered over to the wall clock hanging above the door before returning a questioning gaze to Magnus.

"What are you doing here?” Raphael asked after a short moment, eyeing him with a modicum of suspicion, "Has something happened?"

“No…… Why would you even think that?” Magnus asked, narrowing his eyes and expertly bypassing Raphael’s initial inquiry.

"Maybe because it's not even ten am yet?"

Magnus took a long sip of the coffee he'd bought at Starbucks on his way to the club and grimaced. _Urgh..._ Magnus would never understand how people managed to drink this bitter concoction without batting an eye? He should have made himself some tea, or at least bought his coffee with milk. Though, he had hoped to rid himself of his morning tiredness much more swiftly by drinking the coffee black.

"And what is that supposed to mean, Raph?" Magnus asked as he crossed one leg over the other with elegant ease. As though it were so unusual or unexpected for him to show his face before ten am at his own club. _Pfft..._

Raphael regarded him as though that was exactly what he was thinking.

“Okay, I’ll bite… So, what dragged you out of bed at this early hour?”

Magnus shrugged his shoulders and just continued to sip his coffee, again without answering Raphael's line of questioning. He shifted back and forth on the desk a little until he found a more comfortable position. Raphael exhaled, a rather irked grumble leaving his throat.

“Could you,” Raphael gestured to where Magnus’ ass was polishing his desk with frustration, “Please, use one of the armchairs to sit down in? Like a _reasonable_ person.”

“They're uncomfortable.”

“They cost a fortune,” Raphael replied, his voice dry like sawdust.

“Doesn't change the fact that they are ridiculously uncomfortable.”

“Oh, so my desk is the superior choice?”

"At least it shows off my ass," Magnus answered with a smug grin on his lips. He couldn’t help but wind up his friend, it was _so_ easy after all.

Raphael propped his elbows on his desk and buried his face in his hands. He mumbled something in Spanish, unlikely to be adoration for his shapely butt. But, Magnus remained firmly seated on the desk; if only to annoy Raphael just that much more.

"So ..." Magnus began, stretching the word a little. “Do we have a new bartender yet, or not?"

Raphael's head darted up and his eyes narrowed, furrowing his brow and creasing the corners of his eyes.

“I wouldn't do that, darling. You will get premature wrinkles," Magnus humorously cautioned his best friend.

"I knew there had to be a reason for you being here so early," Raphael stated, ignoring Magnus' words completely. “You saw him last night, didn't you?”

Magnus set his forefinger against his lower lip and slowly nodded thoughtfully.

"Mhmm ..." he purred. _Oh yes._ He had indeed seen him. And what he had seen had been exquisite. The man was simply stunning.

Raphael made a vexed sound as he ran a hand over his face.

"What?" Magnus snapped, almost insulted by his friends’ blasé attitude. "I'm simply concerned with the future of my club.”

"Sure… It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he has a pretty face.”

Magnus gasped and put an affronted hand on his chest.

“You believe me shallow?” Magnus asked in an indignant tone.

Raphael rolled his eyes with rebuke and shook his head in disbelief as though he weren’t talking to his boss but to a child.

“Well, it wouldn't be the first time that you've fallen for a pretty face, after all.”

Magnus pursed his lips into a pout and gave his friend the imitation of a wounded look, but unfortunately, Raphael didn't even flinch.

“Now you're just being mean,” Magnus pouted.

“I'm just being honest with you.”

Magnus hopped off the desk and started pacing impatiently through the room.

“So, are you going to tell me if you hired him, or not?” Magnus asked exasperated. 

Even though he was the owner of the club, he left the employment of new staff to his best friend. For one simple reason; throughout the early days of managing this club, he had hired numerous people just for their pretty faces, not their abilities. Of course, he had given Raphael a rational reason for why he had passed this responsibility on to him. After all, he would just use the fact to rub his nose in it and he didn't want to feed Raphael's ego any more than he already had. 

“And what if I didn’t?” Raphael asked.

The pleasant grin that spread across his best friend's face showed Magnus that he wasn't going to make it easy for him.

“Then you missed a chance to hire a truly talented bartender.”

Magnus didn't know how many times Raphael had rolled his eyes that morning, but if he'd continue like this, he would set a new record.

“How do you know he's talented?” Raphael asked with a modicum of surprise.

Magnus stopped in his tracks and placed his hands on his hips.

“Now, my dear Raphael… you underestimate my knowledge of human nature. I can see at first glance whether someone has a talent or not.”

“Oh, and how exactly do you know that?”

Now it was Magnus' turn to give his best friend a big, complacent grin.

“Because of his elegantly big and beautiful hands.”

"Dios…" Raphael rolled his eyes again and made an annoyed grunt. "You aren’t serious, are you?"

"Of course, I am," Magnus replied, and then settled down in one of those uncomfortable monstrosities Raphael loved so much. Magnus closed his eyes for a moment and thought back to the night before and his brief encounter with the pretty stranger.

Oh yes, the man was tall. Very tall, actually. He was sure he was a few inches taller than himself. Even if he had only been able to look at him for a few minutes, it was enough to arouse one or two of his fantasies. The broad chest that was embraced tightly by the black fabric of his shirt and in just the right places or his never-ending legs. _Mhmm…_ _exquisite_. And those soft pink lips. _God,_ they were perfect and extremely kissable. 

Magnus absentmindedly licked his lower lip. Yes, he couldn't wait to find out and explore more about him.

The striking of two hands in close proximity of his face brought him back from his daydreaming with such a suddenness that Magnus yelped in shock.

"Damn it, Raph. Think about my poor heart," Magnus scolded and put a hand on his chest, as though he were serious.

The look that Raphael gave him then clearly indicated that he was beginning to doubt Magnus common sense. _Why, oh why, was he friends with Raphael again?_

Magnus took another sip of his coffee, only to find it empty. With a heavy sigh on his lips, he placed the empty coffee mug down on the desk and then fiddled with one of his rings. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Raphael reach for the Starbucks’ mug to throw it into the trash can.

"Besides, I'm pretty sure that those big, slender hands comprise of much more talent than the skilful shaking of a cocktail shaker," Magnus mused dreamily, making a smug sound as Raphael let out a desperate groan, only to suddenly turn into a violent coughing fit. _Oops..._

Magnus almost feared that his friend would choke on his own spit and as the good friend he was, he walked around the desk to pat Raphael on the back.

“How do I deserve this?” Raphael pressed out after he finally recovered from his coughing fit. “ _Dios_ , Magnus, you are his boss now."

“Ha, so you did hire him!" Magnus clapped his hands together in delight and a big and happy smile lit up his face. He couldn't wait to see the pretty stranger again.

Raphael mumbled something again in his native tongue that sounded rather dark and spiteful, but Magnus ignored it. He wouldn't let anything ruin his good mood.

“Besides, that hasn't stopped me in the past, as you well know, Raph. "

"Yes, I know. Regrettably.” Raphael said almost desperately.

“Now you're exaggerating. I wasn't that bad."

"You're not seriously asking me to answer that, are you?"

Magnus gave Raphael a playful pat on the back of the head. His friend sank deeper into the upholstery of his desk chair, his face twisted into a spurned grimace.

"Are you going to give me his name or do I have to rummage through the chaos on your desk?"

As if Raphael was really afraid he would do just that, he quickly pulled the personnel record of their newest employee from the pile of documents that sat amongst the papers on his desk. Magnus grasped it from Raphael’s hand and immediately started reading.

"Alec Lightwood," he read softly, humming with satisfaction.

An interesting name. _Alec…_ Magnus mendered around the desk and slumped nonchalantly back into one of the armchairs without looking up from the document. He repeated the name a couple of times over, in his head. Magnus was sure that the name, Alec, was abbreviated.

He smiled to himself as he surveyed the paper. So, finding out his full name was another item on the list of mysteries to discover regarding his new bartender. He couldn't wait to begin...

***

Alec still couldn't believe his luck. He had actually succeeded in convincing that ice-cold personnel manager of his worth and was now officially one of the three bartenders employed at Magnus Bane's club. It felt like a dream, and he couldn't wait for his next shift to start.

Now, that he had the comparison, he could only describe his job at his parents' restaurant as boring and somewhat dreary. The varying and dazzling shows in Magnus Bane's club were certainly playing their part in turning his new job into something of an adventure. Definitely a welcome change from the stiff atmosphere he had experienced all those years in the restaurant.

Sure, it was noisy, sometimes a little hectic and not always easy to prepare the beverages in the dimly lit area behind the bar, but that didn't bother Alec in the slightest. He was absolutely thrilled with his new job. Well, maybe it also had something to do with a certain individual with glitter in his hair. But Alec would never admit that. He had learned during his first shift that the stranger was none other than his new boss. 

Alec hadn't seen him since their short encounter, but for some reason, he couldn't get the man out of his head, even though he'd only seen him for a brief and fleeting moment. _Jesus_ , they hadn't even exchanged a single word. But the man's beautiful laughter had delightfully hounded Alec and burrowed its way into his dreams over the last two nights and despite total exhaustion he had fallen asleep with a smile on his face on both occasions.

Luckily Alec had gotten through his trial shift without any embarrassing incidents. Something that he owed largely to his new colleague Maia. The lively bar manager with her bouncy dark curls had taken him under her wing outright and explained everything he needed to know. They hit it off right away and he quickly realized that they complemented each other pretty well. Alec was sure that over time they would develop a good working relationship, making them an exceptional team.

Alec was happy that he didn't have to wear a fancy costume like the performers on stage. He had initially thought that he would have to wear something made entirely of glitter. Fortunately, his work clothes were quite simple and consisted of black suit trousers, which were very comfortable to wear, a shirt of the same colour, which caressed his upper body like a second skin, detailed with a subtle pin-stripe pattern that gave the fabric an elegant touch. His outfit was completed by a black bow tie and a pair of suspenders, which shimmered festively in the light of the chandelier. 

So, he couldn't quite elude the glitter. But Alec thought it fit in well with the rest of the club's ambience, so he happily complied. 

The only thing that caused an uneasy feeling in his stomach was that Magnus Bane expected his employees to wear makeup. Alec's heart had sunk into his boots when he had learned this from Maia. Not that he had anything against makeup, but it just wasn't his thing. At least not wearing it himself. 

Perhaps it was because he had always hidden his sexuality from the outside world for so many years, it was still unfamiliar territory and a novel idea for him to deal with so openly. Of course, wearing makeup wasn't something that automatically labelled an individual such as himself as a homosexual man. 

The majority of society, however, liked to think in stereotypes, and so many of them still drew these conclusions. And not always in a positive light.

Even if it was ultimately just a simple line to accentuate his eyes, Alec hesitated at first. However, he did not want to step out of line and ask for any special treatment. So he would comply with these guidelines. It would certainly take a while for him to feel completely comfortable with it, but one could get used to anything, given time.

Alec let out a low and deep sigh.

Now it was just a matter of figuring out how to apply his waterline with a eyeliner pencil without letting it look like he had fallen head first into a makeup box. The first attempt was unsuccessful and due to lack of time, he asked Maia to assist him on his second evening. But he didn't want to run to his new colleague every evening to have her do his makeup. Hence, he had come in a little earlier on his third day to try to apply it on his own. 

It so happened that he had been sitting in front of one of those huge makeup mirrors with bubble lights, which the stage performers used to prepare themselves for the show, for twenty minutes now. Several cotton wool pads were now lying in front of him on a small vanity table, a clear sign that his first few attempts hadn’t been successful. 

With a strained sigh, Alec leaned closer to the mirror and ran the black kohl pencil along the bottom of one eye, then the other. He examined his work and then threw the pencil on the table along with the cotton pads with a frustrated whimper. The two lines under his eyes were uneven and way too thick, and he was _so_ close to giving up.

Alec reached for a new cotton pad and soaked it with makeup remover to wipe away his failed attempt. He had already considered asking Izzy for advice but had immediately rejected the idea. He hadn’t told her about his new job yet and knowing her, she would ask him numerous questions and the conversation would never end... not before the other employees came to prepare themselves for their shift. Alec just didn't want anyone to notice how clumsily he was at applying simple eyeliner.

With a dejected exhalation, he endeavoured to suffer his fate and started all over again. He had just put the pen under his right eye when a soft harrumph made him wince and jostle in his seat. Alec slipped and stuck his eye with the tip of the pencil. A curse fell from his lips and his eye immediately began to water. He dropped the kohl pencil on the table.

“Oh shit, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.” 

Alec made a half-choked sound and pressed the heel of his hand against his sore eye. _Fuck that hurt._

“Hey, is everything okay with your eye?" 

Alec felt warmth cupping his shoulder and he winced again and almost sprang off the stool. He heard a chair being pulled towards him.

"Let me see," the stranger asked. Alec thought the voice sounded like warm honey and despite the pain in his eye, a sympathetic shiver ran down his spine.

Carefully, Alec lifted his eyelids and blinked a few times as more tears pearled down his cheek. Alec turned to the interloper to reassure them that he was fine; only to find the connection between his brain and his mouth completely severed. Causing him to make an embarrassing choked gasp. _Oh damn. . ._

It was none other than Magnus Bane himself seated next to him. He gazed towards Alec with an anxious expression on his face and before Alec could react in one way or another, Magnus gently smoothed the pad of his thumb over Alec’s cheek. It took Alec’s brain a moment to start working again as he realized Magnus was wiping the tears away from his face.

“Everything seems to be in order. Your eye is a little red, but I'm sure it’ll go away quickly.”

Alec slowly nodded somewhat dumbfounded, still afflicted with an elusive tongue. Although part of his brain was firing rapidly, working overtime and beseeching him to seize the opportunity presented; to take in all he could get of this enigmatic man in front of him. A seemingly rare chance bestowed on him to take a close and in-depth look at this beautiful man. 

Before Alec could even comprehend what he was doing, his eyes caressed his lean shape, wandering hungrily down the expanse of his boss’ body.

Magnus had crossed his legs, causing the dark fabric of his pinstripe pants to stretch a little, accentuating his thighs in all the right places. Alec swallowed thickly when he saw the shape of well-trained muscles, artfully hidden underneath the black material of Magnus’ pants. His fingers itched to touch and discover just how strong and firm those muscles were. Alec promptly clutched the armrests of his seat firmly with both his hands so as not to follow through with his sudden and impromptu desire.

The shirt that was supposed to cover Magnus' upper body did precisely the opposite. The fabric was transparent and revealed more than it hid and it offered Alec a practically unobstructed view of well-formed muscles, a smooth chest and perfectly shaped abs that Alec would very much like to caress and gently explore with his fingertips. 

And .. _Holy shit!_ Alec’s eyes widened and all but boggled… _Oh fuck,_ Was he wearing a navel piercing? Alec was sure it was at that moment that a few of his brain cells went up in flames. A faint whimper fell from his lips that he would refute he had made with his dying breath.

Alec swallowed slowly when he realized that the alluring piercing wasn't the only piece jewellery Magnus was wearing. Several long, delicate necklaces hung loosely around his neck, catching the light from the vanity mirror, they glimmered hypnotically and made soft jingling sounds every time Magnus shifted in his seat.

 _God_ , the man exuded such erotic sensuality with such an aloof naturalness, it took Alec's breath away.

“Are you okay, darling?”

Practically in a dazed haze, Alec looked up to meet Magnus' soft but slightly amused gaze. Alec cleared his throat and rapidly averted his eyes. _Jesus_ , he was acting like a hormone-driven teenager. The only thing missing would be for him to start drooling.

"Yes, everything is okay. I’m fine,” Alec replied after a brief moment, running a hand over the back of his neck. He was startled that his voice sounded deeper and much more raspy than usual. _Uuhhh..._

"Really?” Magnus asked sceptically.

“Forgive me, Mr Bane. You must be thinking that I have no manners at all," Alec said instead of answering the question.

“Please call me Magnus. Mr Bane is my father, and it sounds so official.”

"Alec," he replied without thinking and groaned inwardly. Now, he couldn't even introduce himself properly. Clearing his throat he tried again.

“I mean, I'm Alec Lightwood. The new bartender.”

Magnus grinned at him and Alec lost all brain function once again.

"I know," Magnus simply said.

Alec inwardly hit his head against an imaginary wall. Could it get any more embarrassing? Of course, Magnus knew who he was. After all, he was his boss. Alec felt his cheeks heat up and Magnus' grin widened even more. At that moment, Alec wanted nothing more but to disappear into a deep, dark hole. If he continued like this, he would be named the Dumbest Employee of the Year.

What was it about Magnus that flustered Alec so much? _Well, let's start with that he has the body of an Adonis_ , whispered a voice in his head. Alec inwardly cursed at his treacherous mind.

“Is it your first time applying makeup?" Magnus asked abruptly, pulling Alec out of his inner dilemma.

Alec was about to ask how he’d guessed when Magnus pointed to the small pile of cotton wool pads that were scattered across the dressing table like fluffy traitors. Alec's shoulders sagged and a low sigh escaped him.

"Hey, there’s no reason to look so miserable," Magnus said, throwing Alec an encouraging smile. "It takes a while to get the hang of it. Believe me. After my first makeup attempts, I looked alike to a clown.

A small smile tugged at the corners of Alec's lips at the comparison, even if he found it difficult to imagine the beautiful Magnus Bane with such laughable makeup.

“That’s better, Alec. You should smile more often. You shouldn’t keep something so beautiful hidden from the world.”

Alec blinked in surprise gazing at Magnus tentatively. No other man had ever complimented him before. Alec felt a little disoriented. He had absolutely no idea how to react to that, and so he just said the first thing that crossed his mind.

"Your eyes are beautiful."

Alec's eyes widened in shock. _Oh god, did he really say that out loud?_ He hoped not.

"I mean, you ..." But whatever he was going to say was forgotten instantly. Because Magnus' face lit up, so much so that his eyes shone gloriously. _Molten Honey brown_ , Alec thought. They were honey brown now. He was captivated and couldn't help but stare.

”What would you think if I were to show you how to correctly apply eyeliner on your waterline?” Magnus asked. 

Alec eased from his rigid posture and peered at Magnus through his thick lashes. 

”Umm, you really don't need to do that.” Alec whispered.

”Well... I want to.” Magnus countered.

Alec opened his mouth to speak just as Magnus placed his fingerpad gently against his lips, thus preventing him from uttering a single word. Alec’s skin tingled with an enticing warmth at Magnus’ touch... He tried to resist the urge to lick his lips as well as Magnus’ finger.

”Please,” Magnus pleaded as he drew back his finger from Alec’s lips, ”Let me make up for the fact that you almost poked your eye out because of me.” 

”Um, okay.”

A gentle smile tugged at Magnus' lips. He leaned forward to reach for the kohl pencil Alec had dropped on the vanity table, getting so close to Alec that the intoxicating mix of sandalwood and something else equally exotic wafted its way into his nostrils as he inhaled.

Wow, the man did not only look good but he smelled good too. Alec would have loved to bury his nose against his neck to inhale the incredible heady mix of scents deeper. _Pull yourself together, Lightwood!_

Alec closed his eyes for a moment, trying desperately to maintain his composure. After all, he had embarrassed himself enough in front of his boss for one day, and he wasn't going to start behaving ungentlemanly by sniffing him. Nope. Not Under any circumstances. Okay, maybe just a little. But before Alec had the opportunity, Magnus smartly straightened himself up again. 

Alec almost missed it when Magnus took a pencil sharpener and sharpened the tip of the kohl pencil into a fresh point.

“So how do you want to do it?” Alec asked while eyeing the black pencil in Magnus' left hand.

An impish grin appeared on Magnus' face and before Alec realized his choice of words, Magnus answered him:

“Well, darling, however, you want. I am open to both.” Magnus winked at him again and Alec almost choked, gasping on his next breath. He felt a heat shoot through his body with Magnus' innuendo, but this time all the heat was rushing south. _Shit..._

"I meant the makeup," Alec added quickly, hiding his embarrassment behind a skilful roll of his eyes. But he really wanted to bury his face in his hands instead.

Magnus laughed and then pushed his chair nearer to his.

"I know," was all he said.

Alec knitted his eyebrows in confusion. Was Magnus flirting with him? Before Alec could ponder on it, Magnus spoke again.

“Just hold still and everything else will work out on its own accord.”

Alec blinked in astonishment when he realized that Magnus was actually going to apply the makeup on _him_. He had automatically thought that Magnus would be demonstrating on himself, he was just going to observe, then try himself.

“Well,” Magnus began to explain. “There are two ways to apply the kohl under the eye. Either directly on the waterline or under the lash line. Do you know what the waterline is? ”

Alec shook his head. Magnus then turned to the mirror and put his index finger directly under his own eye. He pulled the bottom edge down a little and tapped the small piece of skin between the eyelashes and the eye with the tip of the eyeliner pencil.

“This is the waterline. For beginners, it is easier to apply the eyeliner there rather than directly under the lash line as long as your eye doesn’t water too much.”

Alec nodded and watched as Magnus skilfully traced the pencil along his waterline. It looked very simple.

“Once you’ve had a little practice, I recommend that you try to apply the eyeliner under the lash line. It enlarges the eyes somewhat,” he continued, turning back to Alec.

“Since tonight you will have the unique pleasure of being made up by me, I will apply a beautiful and dramatic line below the waterline.”

As he spoke, Magnus picked up a small spray bottle with IPA stamped across it in red printed letters that sat next to the mirror and sprayed the contents on a clean piece of tissue paper and expertly used it on the tip of the kohl pencil to sterilize it.

Alec nodded again. Magnus was definitely not lacking in expertise or self-confidence. 

“Lift your head a little, it will be easier for me to use the eyeliner on you.”

Alec followed his instruction, and in the blink of an eye, Magnus was so close that Alec could feel his breath delicately ghosting against his face. Alec raised his gaze to the ceiling and then felt the gentle touch of Magnus' fingers against his cheek. 

“It's best to start from the inner corner of the eye and trace with a delicate hand, thinly under the lash line towards the outer corner.”

As soon as Magnus had given him this explanation, Alec felt the kohl pencil moving along his eye line. Alec had to pull himself together so as not to blink and focus on keeping his eyes from watering. Although it wasn't the first time someone had put makeup on him, the way Magnus touched him was inexplicably intimate. His fingers felt so soft and warm on his skin, that he just wanted to lean into the touch. Alec bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from making any embarrassing noises.

Magnus wielded the kohl pencil with expert dexterity like a gifted artist with his paintbrush.

He repeated the procedure under his other eye after wiping the tip once again and then straightened himself to observe his effort. Alec lowered his gaze and regarded Magnus examining his work, apparently pleased with the result.

"That's it," Magnus said, running his thumb over Alec's cheek once again. 

The touch sent a conflicting warm chill down his spine, and he clenched his teeth tightly together to keep a rising gasp from falling from his lips.

Magnus leaned back in his chair and their eyes met. Alec didn't know why, but he suddenly felt as if time had come to a standstill. He nearly became lost in the depths of Magnus' brown eyes, watching them slowly darken. Alec’s heartbeat quickened and he struggled to keep his composure, as well as his breathing at a regular and steady pace. A pleasant tingling sensation rose inside him and bubbled excitedly in his stomach. He could gaze into Magnus' eyes for hours...

"Beautiful," Magnus whispered so quietly, as though it were something secret and then he blinked as if coming back to himself. 

Whatever had just occurred, fragmented and swiftly drew Alec from his tenseness. _Beautiful..._ Did Magnus mean the makeup on his face? He wasn't entirely sure...

"Look in the mirror, darling," Magnus urged, without clarifying his previous statement.

Alec turned his head and then stared at his own reflection. _Wow ..._ Magnus had only drawn a thin line under his eyes, but this minute addition enlarged his eyes in a magical way, emphasizing the different nuances of his hazel irises. Virtually making them glow.

Alec swallowed hard. Okay, maybe they are glowing for another reason, but he quickly pushed that thought into the farthest corner of his mind. In any case, it looked a lot more professional than the way Maia had done it. _Much better_ , Alec thought.

"It suits you. I don't understand why you haven't tried it before? All the boys will be lining up when they see you like this.”

Alec gave Magnus a vexed glare.

“Is it so obvious that I'm gay?”

Alec couldn't help but sound a little discouraged.

"Well, you didn't make it very hard for me to read," Magnus said, winking at him.

Alec ran a hand over his forehead and an uncomfortable feeling spread inside him.

"Sorry," he muttered.

Magnus frowned.

"Why are you apologizing?"

"For staring at you like that."

The smile that Magnus then gifted him was so warm and open that Alec's uneasy feeling in his stomach subsided a little. It didn't vanish entirely, but it was a relief to see that Magnus wasn't taunting him.

“It's okay Alec. Believe me, I’m flattered. A lot, actually.”

Alec bowed his head to hide the sudden blush on his face. He’d definitely set a new record for that today. But a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and so he nodded in reply.

A comfortable silence spread between them and Alec used the moment to sort out the emotional chaos inside him. He couldn't deny that he was attracted to Magnus, even after those few moments they had known each other. There was something about Magnus that fascinated him, and he wasn't just talking about his appearance. Sure, it added to the attraction he felt. He'd certainly never met a man this handsome before. 

Then there was the self-confidence that Magnus exuded. Especially when it came to his own body and that was something that really excited and impressed Alec. Alec knew he was handsome himself, but he had never really felt comfortable in his body due to his secret. It had only gotten better after he confided in Izzy. Still, it had taken some persuasion from his sister before Alec was willing to dress more figure-accentuating and swap the baggy trousers and sweaters for tighter jeans and well-cut shirts.

"I won't tell anyone if you don’t want me to," Magnus said into the silence, pulling Alec out of his thoughts.

"No, it's okay. It's just a little new for me to be so open about it."

"Oh, okay. When did you come out, if you don’t mind me asking."

Alec gave Magnus a fleeting glance. He was sure that if anyone else had asked him, he probably would have said he didn't want to talk about it. But for some unknown reasons, Magnus made him feel like he could talk openly about it, that he would not judge him.

“Less than a week ago. At least to my parents. My siblings, however, have known for a while.”

Alec saw Magnus raise his eyebrows in surprise, but then a gentle, almost sympathetic expression spread across his face.

“And that's absolutely fine. Everyone should only take this step when they are really comfortable with themselves and completely ready for it.”

Alec was surprised that Magnus had realized so quickly that he was basically ashamed of his relatively late coming out to his parents. Alec hadn't even realized he'd felt that way himself.

"Well, it wasn't entirely voluntary," Alec confessed.

Magnus furrowed his brow and Alec saw the anger that flickered suddenly in his eyes.

"Well, that's not what I meant," Alec said quickly, realizing how his words could be misunderstood. “I was ready, but… well, let's just say it was because of a situation that forced me to tell my parents."

A sad expression replaced the anger in Magnus' eyes. He leaned forward and placed a hand on Alec's shoulder. It was only a fleeting touch, but it gave Alec the comfort he needed right then.

“I'm sorry it happened like that. I suspect your parents didn't respond positively to this.”

Alec shook his head but said nothing more. He wasn't ready to talk to anyone outside his family about it and Magnus seemed to understand because he didn't dig any further.

“Here in this club, you don't have to hide or pretend to be something you’re not, Alec. We have people of all colours here. It doesn't matter whether someone is into boys or girls, or whether they are interested in both or not interested in anyone at all. It's okay. We all respect each other here, as who we are. No ifs and no buts.”

Alec nodded, and he felt the knot in his stomach loosen a little. Even if he still felt the desire to be fully accepted by his mother, at least one day, but right then it felt a little easier to breathe.

“Thank you, Magnus. ”

"You’re very welcome, Darling.”

Before Alec could say anything else, distant voices could be heard as they drew nearer. Alec was surprised to see that it was only forty-five minutes until the club was to open.

Magnus gracefully rose from his chair.

“If you need someone to talk to, Alexander, don't hesitate to come to me, okay?”

"Okay.”

Magnus winked at him again and then headed towards the spiral staircase. He had almost reached the first step when Alec suddenly realized what Magnus had just called him.

“How do you know my name is Alexander?” He called after Magnus.

His boss stopped on the first step of the stairs and turned around to him.

"I guessed," he replied and then went downstairs without waiting for Alec’s response.

Alec shook his head, but was surprised to find that he didn't mind Magnus using his full name. Not at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and/or leave kudos. Both are highly appreciated! Thank you! 💖


	5. Oh fuck...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey,
> 
> finally, I'm back with a new chapter. Sorry, it took me longer than planned but the last three weeks weren't easy for me. I was sick, stayed a couple of days in hospital, etc. Now, I'm better and happy to share the next chapter with y'all.
> 
> ***
> 
> If you want to tweet about this story/chapter, the hashtag is #boylesquefic and for those who don't know, I'm [@commanderapril1](https://twitter.com/CommanderApril1) on Twitter. 😊
> 
> ***
> 
> Now, I wish y'all a happy reading. Enjoy!
> 
> April
> 
> PS: I'm 9 month pregnant and often feel exhausted and tired. So, I can't promise to update this story on a regular basis. I'll try my best though. :) In case it takes me again longer to upload the next chapter, it's not bc I'm losing interest in this story but due to said reasons.

"Oh come on, Alec. Where is it exactly that you're working now?" Izzy asked, prompting him for an answer.

She sounded impatient, but there was something else in her voice. Something that Alec had almost overlooked. Something she was trying to hide from him. _Was it... disappointment?_

Alec dropped his gaze as he buried his idle hand in the pocket of his jeans.

"I'll tell you soon, Iz. I promise."

Izzy made a frustrated sound and Alec almost felt contrite for not satisfying her curiosity right then and there.

"Please," she softened her voice in an attempt to tug at his heartstrings, dragging the word out so much that it almost sounded like two words.

A small smile tugged the corners of his mouth upward as an image of his sister popped up in his head. Izzy was probably lying on her bed right now, her legs stretched out against the headboard, most likely wearing one of his old, oversized and washed-out sweaters that he had left behind. He had seen her in that position more than once, lying on her bed while talking to one of her friends and Max had told him once she always looked for comfort in wearing his clothing when he wasn't home. A sad expression replaced his smile, the tender guise fading from his lips as he realized he couldn't call his parents house, his _home_ anymore...

Leaning against the exterior brick wall of the Night club, he closed his eyes for a moment. Alec couldn't count how many times Izzy had asked about his new job throughout the past few days. Twenty, maybe thirty, or even a hundred times? He had stopped counting.

Today was only his sixth day as a bartender at Magnus club. It actually seemed a lot longer than that.

"Alec? Are you still there?"

Alec blinked once, then ran his fingers across his forehead. A gust of icy-cold wind billowed around the corner of the building prompting him to rapidly raise his shoulders, burying his face deeper into the dark green woollen scarf Izzy had gifted him last year for Christmas. It won't be long now until the first snow of the year would fall and bury the streets of New York under a layer of white powder, turning the city into a winter wonderland. It would appear to be early this year, considering it was only the beginning of November.

A shiver ran through his body and Alec would have liked for nothing more than to flee the cold for the warmth of the club. But as long as he was on the phone with Izzy, he didn't want to venture inside.

A glance at his watch told him that he had been standing in front of the club for over fifteen minutes already, trying to thwart Izzy's curiosity. No wonder he was freezing cold. He had most likely already gotten frostbite. At the very least, his balls didn’t feel like they could withstand the frigid weather much longer.

"Uhm, sorry. Yes. What did you say?"

"Your new job. It can't be so bad, that you don't want to tell me anything about it."

Alec glanced up at the curved sign above the clubs’ entrance and again, a smile promptly tugged at his lips. The letters dazzled in pink and golden hews, sparkling brightly through the approaching twilight. It wouldn’t be too long before the neon colours would lure the first guests of the evening.

Alec was already looking forward to the next few hours, the hustle and bustle behind the bar. He had never felt so carefree and relaxed in his whole life. He could certainly say that the short time he’d been working at Magnus’ Club had been one of the most exciting times of his life. He was finally able to live his life the way he wanted, without his parents constantly criticizing him or telling him what to do.

"No, Izzy. It's not. The job is okay," Alec replied, biting down his tongue to avoid singing a euphoric song of praise about his new job.

"Then tell me."

"Izzy ..." Alec pleaded, switching the cell phone to the other ear. He brushed one foot across the floor, kicking a few small stones away as his foot scuffed across the asphalt. Oh yes, he loved his dear sister, but sometimes she was just too curious for his liking. Of course, he knew that Izzy was only looking out for him. He would be lying, however, if he said that he didn't relish it a little, that she couldn't stick her nose into every part of his life anymore.

"I don't understand why you are being so cryptic about it," Izzy said. Another dissatisfied noise followed her words, coming through the phone when Alec didn't reply instantly.

To be honest, he didn't know either. He was certainly not uncomfortable with his new job. Alec also knew that Izzy would never judge him for working as a bartender in a burlesque club. On the contrary. She'd probably freak out, in a good way; she would be ecstatic. All the glitter, the cheerful and upbeat music, the exciting erotic dance and high-class performances were most definitely her thing. But yet, maybe he wanted to be able to enjoy this new life for himself, just for a few more days? Without anyone in his family knowing the details.

Perhaps he just wanted to have something all to himself: Be the only one aware of what he was up to, and especially where he was working. _Or..._

"I'm not being cryptic. First and foremost, I want to see how it goes. Who knows, maybe they won’t be satisfied with my work and I’ll be fired, faster than I can count to three."

“Why would you think that, Alec?”

Alec gazed at the floor and kicked another stone away, which promptly hit the bottom step of the stairs leading up to the club with a loud metallic vibration. He knew he was doing well in his new job. Maia had assured him of that, more than once. Sure, it would take a few more weeks before he was able to manage the bar completely on his own, even if just in an emergency. But in this short time, he had already gained knowledge of the many recipes for the club's special drinks and the rest wasn’t much different from what he had mixed before. Still, there was this soft voice at the back of his head, nagging at him, whispering discouragements, that he wasn't good enough, that he’ll most likely lose his job sooner or later.

"I don't know. It is just... "

"Stop it!" Izzy interrupted him before he was able to complete his sentence. "Alec I know Mom taught you to never be satisfied with yourself to doubt your own capabilities, that you were never good enough… But she's completely wrong, do you hear me?”

Alec sighed softly. His sister knew him too well. . .

"Izzy ..."

“No Alec. I _know_ you. No matter what you do, you always give it one hundred and ten per cent. You give everything, and I am sure that it will be the same with your new job.”

Alec knew Izzy was right. He also knew that he couldn't easily silence the voices in his head. But he could try, right?

“I know Izzy. I know."

"Good." There was a smile in her voice and Alec wanted nothing more right now than to sink into his sister’s comforting and warm embrace. That was the disadvantage of his new life. He was alone in this big city.

"All right, Alec. I'll be patient and wait a few more days. But then I'd really like to know all about your new job."

Alec shook his head in amusement and snorted.

"Okay, Iz. You win. What do you say to coming over next Sunday, I’ll tell you then?"

Izzy let out a squeak so loud that Alec quickly yanked the phone away from his ear.

"Jesus, Izzy. Why don't you scream a little louder?"

"Sorry," Izzy said, but the grin in her voice told Alec that she wasn't sorry, not in the slightest.

Alec checked his watch again.

"I have to go now. Give Max a warm hug from me, okay?"

"I will. Take care, Alec."

"Yeah, you too."

Alec hung up and stuffed his cell in the pocket of his winter jacket. Then he jogged up the few steps to the clubs’ entrance and fished for his key.

Just like the last few days, the club welcomed him with a jarring white light that emanated from the fluorescent tubes, reminding him more of a warehouse's atmosphere than that of a nightclub. The many chandeliers would only be switched on shortly before opening to replace the harsh, cold light.

Alec stepped into the foyer and was enveloped by the warm air that flowed freely through the club. He pulled the scarf away from his face and ambled down the stairs to the clubs’ main-floor. He could hear voices emanating from the bar and as Alec neared he saw Maia, and Bat already restocking, preparing everything for the evening.

"Hey guys," he said in greeting when he reached the bar, shrugging off his warm jacket, hanging it and his scarf on the back of an empty barstool next to him.

"Hey Goliath," Maia replied and waved to him happily.

Bat nodded briefly in his direction. Instead of a greeting, he just gave Alec a small smile of acknowledgement. Then he went back to his task, taking the remaining glasses from the dishwasher, after drying them carefully, he placed them on one of the display shelves behind the bar.

Alec knew that he couldn't take Bat's taciturn behaviour personally. Maia had told him on his first day that Bat was very shy, at least towards his colleagues. Only in his role as a bartender did he seem to blossom. He was like a different person, he would laugh and joke with the guests as though he’d never done anything else.

Maia, on the other hand, was totally easy-going and open. Consequently, Alec already knew that she owned a German shepherd called Taki and was also studying marine biology in addition to her job in Magnus' Club. She had also told him that she and Simon - the guitarist of the club's resident live band - had once been a couple for a few months last year. Now the two were just good friends. She also told the most incredible and funniest stories regarding the many regular guests, causing Alec more than once to laugh so hard that tears had sprung from his eyes. To cut a long story short: Maia was just pretty cool.

"You look tired Alec," Maia said, giving him a worried look.

Alec sat down on one of the bar stools with a frustrated groan and buried his face in his hands, resting his elbows on the counter.

“You would look tired too if you had to listen to the rhythmic creaking of your neighbour’s bed and their loud moaning most of the night and half of the morning.” Alec let out a disparaging snort. "They're worse than any pubescent teenagers."

Maia threw her head back and seconds later her laughter filled the empty bar. Alec peeked between his fingers and gave her a disgruntled look.

"It's not funny."

"Oh Alec, you’ve obviously never had someone in your life from whom you just couldn't keep your hands off, have you?" Maia asked, wiping a few tears from her eyelashes.

Alec straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bat just shake his head in amusement.

"At least I’ve never felt the need to entertain my entire neighbourhood with it," Alec said dryly.

Maia giggled softly.

"Have you ever had the hots for someone so bad that you want to rip off their clothes?"

Before Alec could reply, a picture of Magnus appeared in front of Alec's eyes, stretched out on the soft pillows of his bed while looking at him with pure desire. _Uuuh..._ Alec made a choked sound that almost sounded like he was strangling himself. Maia's grin only got wider.

"Tell me!" she demanded.

Alec cleared his throat and ran a hand over the back of his neck.

"I'm not going to talk to you about my sex life," Alec replied gravely.

Before Maia could react in one way or another, Simon appeared at the bar and hopped on one of the vacant bar stools.

"Who is having sex with whom?" He asked, looking curiously between Maia and Alec.

Alec made a frustrated noise and threw his head back, looking desperately at the ceiling.

"Alec's neighbours danced the mattress mambo last night and half the morning and they were _loud_ ," Maia explained.

Alec glanced at Simon and saw a grimace run across the guitarist's face. He shot Alec a quick sympathetic glance. At least there was someone who pitied his cruel fate.

"Uh, that's awful. I also had a neighbour like that. Back shortly after I had moved from my parents home and into my first apartment. I’ll tell you, he used to entertain half the neighbourhood and whenever he orgasmed... at least I suspect that he came then… he screamed her name so loud that you had the feeling he was going to drop dead right then. Fortunately, I only lived there for a few weeks, but in that short time, the guy changed his girlfriends like his underpants. I could fill a whole book with all their names... "

"Simon!"

The guitarist interrupted his monologue and looked questioningly at Alec.

"What? "

"Too much information," Alec said, rolling his eyes. Maia put her hand over her mouth to hide a soft laugh. Alec noticed that Bat was nowhere to be seen. He had wisely slipped away.

"What do you want to do about your neighbours?" Maia asked.

Alec helplessly shrugged his shoulders

"Uhmm… Nothing I can do?"

"Why don't you take someone home with you, give them some of their own medicine, a little payback?" Simon suggested, tapping his mouth thoughtfully with a finger.

Alec winced and shook his head. It wasn't that he didn't have any sexual experience before coming out to his parents, but they could all be counted on one hand. On two fingers, to be precise. The most intimate thing he'd tried so far was giving someone a blowjob.

"No, Simon. …I am not going to get my dick wet with some random guy," Alec replied with a huff.

It suddenly went very quiet. So quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Alec stiffened, suddenly realising what he’d just said. _Oh fuck…_ Had he inadvertently just come out to his co-workers? _Shit_.

Alec buried his face behind his hands and made a desperate sound while Maia and Simon started laughing so hard their bodies shook violently, both were holding their bellies.

An uneasy feeling rose and fell into his stomach. Alec glanced between his fingers at his co-workers. _Were Maia and Simon laughing at him?_ Didn't Magnus say that no one in this club would judge him for being gay?

It took a moment for Alec to comprehend that they were just reacting to his choice of words and not about his sexuality. Relief flooded him and the fear of not being accepted dissipated. He didn't need to hide who he was anymore.

Alec blinked as the realisation dawned on him for the very first time… _He can be himself! Finally!_

And it felt good, almost like an invisible weight had been lifted from his shoulders. It felt like a natural thing, and it is good… It felt right. He felt taller, lighter.

A freeing laughter grew inside his chest bubbling over until it spilled through his lips, shaking his body. It didn't take long until tears were running down his face.

"Yes, I'm gay…" Alec said after he had calmed down. He wiped the tears off his cheeks with the palm of his right hand.

Maia looked at him with a soft smile.

“We could all come over to your place and make it sound as though you were, how did you put it. _Getting your dick wet!_ ” Simon snorted.

"Simon, I am not going to have sex with some random guy just to get back at my neighbour… to demonstrate how thin our goddamn walls are. I’m not that kind of guy," Alec said, shaking his head. "So… please, can we stop talking about my neighbours’ sex life now," he pleaded desperately.

Maia leaned forward and propped her forearms on the bar counter. The grin on her face told Alec that she wasn't going to let the subject drop that easily. _Oh yeah_ , she and Izzy would definitely get along very well.

"Then why don't we talk about yours?" she asked again.

"As I said… I'm not talking about it."

"Gosh, you are so boring," Maia replied, rolling her eyes, but the laugh in her voice showed him that she wasn't really being serious.

Still, Alec leaned forward and reached for a damp rag, which he threw at her. Maia deftly ducked out of the line of fire, getting to safety, snickering softly.

"No, but seriously now. Do you have someone in your life?" Maia asked while she picked up the rag from the floor to clean it.

Alec pursed his lips thoughtfully and for the second time that evening, an erotic picture of Magnus appeared in his head. _Yup, his brain was definitely no longer trustworthy._

Before Alec could answer Maia's question, though, Simon leaned in close to him. He stared at him without blinking an eye and Alec suspiciously knitted his eyebrows at him.

"Stop the nonsense," Maia said after a few seconds and gave Simon a playful slap on the back of his head. The guitarist rubbed a hand over the spot Maia had hit him with an indignant _ouch._

"Why did you do that, Maia?"

"You are scaring Alec."

Alec snorted softly and raised an eyebrow in amusement as he looked back and forth between Maia and Simon.

"I was just trying to find out who Alec was thinking of."

"I wasn't thinking of anyone," Alec replied quickly. Too quickly, because seconds later two pairs of eyes focused on him again.

"So there is someone you like?" Simon asked, eyeing him again attentively.

Alec slowly shook his head, but his brain bombarded him again with images of Magnus. How he would kneel on his bed, legs spread, hands wandering down his own body. _Shit ..._ Was there a place in New York where one could get one's brain back on track? His brain definitely seemed to be broken.

"Why are you both staring at Alec as if he held the answer to life, the universe and everything...?" A warm, honeyed voice promptly asked.

Alec almost choked. When you speak of the devil - well, think of him ...

"Hey boss," said Simon, swivelling around to face Magnus.

Alec also glanced in Magnus' direction to greet him, but whatever he was going to say, vaporized on his tongue, leaving his mind completely vacant. _What the…?_ Alec let out a choked gasp.

His boss was literally covered from head to toe in glitter, so much so, that he would likely outshine a disco ball. His black pants and elegant matching jacket sparkled in varying shades of blues and purples. Making Alec think of one of those magical photographs of a vast sparkling galaxy.

Underneath, a dark cobalt blue shirt, very similar to the shirt that Magnus had worn when they had met on his third day, and Alec was sure he could see glitter beneath the transparent fabric, as well, applied generously to his smooth bronze skin. The makeup that Magnus had put on that evening corresponded with the rest of his outfit. Small rhinestones placed under his eyes, literally made them shine.

Alec swallowed hard. He'd not seen Magnus look so dressed up during the time he'd known him. _Heavens above_ , even his hair was covered in glitter again, almost as though he had bathed in it.

"Hi," Alec greeted him breathlessly, ignoring Maia's soft snort behind him. Alec cursed inwardly. Why couldn't he act like any other normal person in Magnus' presence? He had thought that he had put his initial awkwardness aside.

Over the last four days, he and Magnus had talked on a few occasions and even though he had stunned Alec with a few flirtatious come-on’s or a compliment every now and then, Alec had managed not to blush like the virgin he was every time. He had quickly discovered that it was just Magnus' nature, that he gifted almost all of his employees with varying compliments from time to time. The last few evenings, however, Magnus hadn't dressed up as though he were on a mission to seduce every single person who crossed his path.

"Alexander," Magnus sing-songed in greeting as he shot him with a beautiful megawatt smile that Alec couldn't help but reply.

Then Magnus turned towards Simon and crossed his arms over his chest. There was no way Alec was staring at Magnus' biceps, which were now clearly visible and bulging against the fabric of the jacket. Nope. He definitely wouldn't do such a thing. He... _Jesus_ , there was certainly not much give left, the fabric of the jacket would tear apart given any more strain.

"Maureen is looking for you, Simon. Apparently, she has problems with the lighting system again," Magnus said.

In addition to his role as a musician, Simon was also responsible for the club's lighting and sound system. But since he couldn’t man the system during his performances, Maureen was responsible during the shows as his assistant. The word was, however, that the young New Yorker had a talent for blowing a fuse now and then. How she managed it was not very clear to everyone. But despite her little mishaps, she was a good co-worker, or at least that's what Maia had told Alec.

Simon swore under his breath.

"The woman is driving me crazy. I'll deal with it in a moment, boss."

Magnus nodded in response, then turned to Alec.

“I'll see you later.” He winked at Alec and then walked away without giving any further explanation.

Alec looked after Magnus as he made his way to the rear area that was accessible only to the staff. He bit his lip as his eyes landed on Magnus' butt. Jesus, was there anything about him that wasn't perfect?

"What does he mean, _I'll see you later_?" Alec asked as he turned back to Maia and Simon, but not without taking one last look at Magnus' perky ass.

"You don't know?” the guitarist asked. His voice shifted up a few octaves and Alec had the feeling that Simon's eyes would fall out any moment if they widened further.

“What don’t I know? ”

"Well, today is Saturday," Simon said as if that explained everything.

Alec raised an eyebrow.

"And tomorrow is Sunday," Alec deadpanned.

"Alec, man!" Simon scolded as if he were hard to understand. "Magnus is part of tonights’ show. As in, every Saturday night, by the way. You will definitely like that. He's amazing. Almost like a second Dita von Teese. No, much better actually. And not as feminine as her. Actually, rather more and very masculine. Well, he's a man. And the people... It's absolutely sensational every time. Everyone loves him. Everyone wants to see him. And you have the best view of the stage from behind the bar, as you've probably noticed already and ... "

“Jesus, Simon!” Alec stammered.

"What? ”

"Stop. Please! ”

Simon opened his mouth to say something, but Alec gave him such a pointed dark look that the guitarist closed his mouth immediately.

Alec put his forefinger and thumb to the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and realised it slowly.

Magnus is dancing in the show. _Yes! No! Oh, God…!_ Simon was just making fun of him, right? For sure. Then why didn't the guitarist look like he was joking?

"This is a joke, isn't it?" Alec asked hopefully.

"Why would I joke about it?"

“Magnus is _dancing_ in the show tonight? ”Alec asked.

“Yes, he's our star in every Saturday evening performance. ”

"Every Saturday?"

Simon leaned against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest and studied him carefully.

"Yes, every Saturday. Am I mumbling?"

"What? No. Sorry. I…."

_Oh fuck..._

Simon looked at him as if a second head had sprouted from his neck and Alec realized that Simon was indeed serious.

Alec suddenly felt as if someone had cut off his oxygen supply. His thoughts began to race, planting one erotic image after another into his head.

Magnus will dance and undress. Tonight. Here in the club. In his own damn burlesque show. Right in front of Alec's eyes. Was it too late to call in sick for the evening or better still, quit?

"Alec, what's wrong with you?" Simon asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Alec straightened up and wiped his slightly sweaty hands over his thighs.

"N-nothing. Everything is fine."

“Yeah, sure. And I am Obi-Wan Kenobi. ”

Simon rose from his stool and shook his head, a grin on his face as though he knew what kind of panic Alec was in right now.

"I have to see Maureen before she takes the lighting system apart again."

He patted Alec encouragingly on the shoulder and then disappeared behind the curtain that still enveloped the stage in its slumber.

"Interesting," Maia said and Alec met her knowing gaze. Damn it. She leaned against the counter with her arms folded over her chest, scrutinizing him. Alec bowed his head to hide the blush he could clearly feel rising on his cheeks.

"Simon really wasn't kidding, was he?" Alec asked quietly.

Maia cocked her head and looked at him thoughtfully. Then she shook her head. _Oh shit. . ._ Alec straightened up and wiped his sweaty hands over his pants once again. Maia raised an eyebrow and her lips stretched in a wide, knowing grin.

"Just, do me one favour tonight, Alec."

"And which one would that be?" Alec asked, eyeing Maia suspiciously.

"Please don't break all the glasses tonight okay?" Maia asked and before Alec could react in one way or another, she walked over to the other end of the bar.

At the same moment, as if on command, the bright neon lights were switched off. For a short moment, Alec sat in complete darkness before the numerous chandeliers were switched on, bathing the room in dim, romantic light.

Alec peered over to the stage. In less than an hour, the curtain would be raised and the show would begin. In less than an hour, Magnus would be dancing on the stage, gradually ripping his clothes off. Just by thinking about it, Alec could feel the temperature in the club heating up a few degrees.

A low, desperate groan fell from his lips and he closed his eyes for a moment. How was he supposed to get through this shift? He could only hope that the guests were plenty tonight and that he wouldn't get a chance to see the show. Because, Alec was not sure if he would survive the sight of Magnus in nothing but tiny pasties covering his nipples and sexy lingerie that showed more than it would hide.

Alec swallowed hard and ran a hand through his thick hair.

_Oh Lord in Heaven, give me the strength to survive this night._

He had never really been a believer before, but he was sure that he would send many more quick prayers up to heaven tonight. His mother would certainly be very proud of him… for that at least.

_Oh fuck…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and/or leave kudos. Both are highly appreciated! Thank you! 💖


	6. It's Boylesque

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies,
> 
> thank you so much for all the kudos and comments on the last chapter. Every single one made me so happy. :)
> 
> So, we are finally here. Magnus will dance. Let's find ou how Alec will react... 😏
> 
> ***
> 
> If you want to tweet about this story/chapter, the hashtag is #boylesquefic and for those who don't know, I'm [@commanderapril1](https://twitter.com/CommanderApril1) on Twitter. 😊
> 
> ***
> 
> Now, I wish y'all a happy reading. Enjoy!
> 
> April

Alec slotted the two halves of the cocktail shaker together and proceeded to shake the contents of various liquids - 1 1/2 ounces vodka, 1-ounce fresh lime juice, 1-ounce triple sec - vigorously back and forth methodically as he glanced at the stage through the reflective mirrored surface at the back of the bar. The stage was now deserted, due to the twenty-minute break, but that would be over in just a few minutes' time and Alec knew precisely what was going to happen next.

Magnus was going to dance. Only a few meters from him. And he would... _Don't panic, Lightwood. Just breathe. In and out. Keep it together..._

Alec drew in a shallow breath, counted to three, then released the air with a low hiss between his slightly parted lips. He repeated the process a few times, only to find that it didn't aid in calming his racing heart, not one bit. Alec snorted to himself. Who was he trying to fool? He shook his head.

Even though he’d known Magnus for such a short time he seemed to have the uncanny ability to affect him effortlessly, and to such a degree, as no other had managed before, and that was on a normal day. Simple breathing techniques most certainly wouldn't help him here. Especially not with Magnus seductively dancing and slowly undressing, flirtatiously removing his ‘oh so provocative’ garments directly in front of him.

It was a perfectly fabulous torment.

With a desperate sigh, Alec poured the yellow and slightly milky liquid through the strainer and into a chilled cocktail glass. He garnished the edge of the glass with a lime wedge before turning around to face the counter with the finished cocktail in his right hand.

Plastering a smile on his face, he meandered over to his customer, a pretty blonde woman with her hair scraped back from her face into a tight ponytail. He gingerly placed the mixed cocktail in front of her. Her gaze flicked to the small nameplate on his chest.

"Thank you, Alec," the woman said as she slid a 20-dollar bill across the counter. She winked at him playfully. "Keep the change."

"Thank you," Alec replied, giving the blonde woman a small smile.

"Lydia," she said, simply, as she lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip from her expertly mixed Kamikaze.

"Thank you, Lydia," Alec amended as he scooped up the bill from the counter, entering the order into the till he then placed the cash in the register. After he closed the till and tossed the change into the small wooden tip box that Maia, Bat and Alec would count out at the end of the shift and split equally amongst themselves. A curious notion shot through Alec's mind as he gave the blonde woman another once over.

"Are you Lydia Branwell, by any chance?" Alec asked as he reached for a glass that sat amongst numerous others on the drying rack to carefully dry it.

The young woman abandoned her cocktail and tilted her head to one side slightly. She looked at him with a frown between her brows.

"Yes, I am. Do we know each other from somewhere?"

"It might sound a bit strange, but my mother had planned on arranging a date between the two of us."

Lydia's eyes widened comically in response to his words.

"Are you the son of Maryse Lightwood?" She asked. It was more a statement rather than a question, she sounded a little astonished at the revelation.

"Uhm, yeah?" Alec replied while setting the now perfectly dry glass aside. "Is that a problem?"

Lydia shook her head promptly.

"No…Not at all, but ..." Lydia interrupted herself, looking at him thoughtfully as though in contemplation.

Alec raised an eyebrow in question, waiting for her to elaborate.

"Sorry, Alec. I imagined you to be a bit… well, different."

Alec narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms across his chest.

“And what do you mean by that?” He couldn't keep his voice from sounding a little terse.

"I'm really not making a good first impression am I?" Lydia muttered under her breath rather than speaking directly to Alec. She shook her head as if pondering her own behaviour before responding to his question. "Your mother just described you a little differently. More like..."

"A well-behaved son who frequents church every Sunday, doesn't even know what 'Kiss my ass' means, would court a woman a-like the days of Louis XIV? In other words - a total bore, with a stick up his ass?"

Lydia threw back her head and laughed out loud.

"Yeah, something like that. Only her choice of words were a little, let's say dissimilar to yours," she replied, wiping a few tears of laughter from her eyelashes.

Alec snorted. He could well imagine how his mother had described him to the Branwell Family.

"So your mother really intended to arrange a date between us?"

"Yup."

"Sorry if I'm being a little forward, but I certainly wouldn't mind." She leaned forward and gave him a radiant smile as she fluttered her lashes at him.

"Lydia, I ..." Alec bit his lower lip and ducked his head in hesitation. Did he really want to come out to her? He didn't really know her, after all. He could just say that he just wasn't interested. But then he remembered the promise he’d made to himself, how it had felt to tell Maia and Simon. So, he took a deep breath and pushed aside his insecurities.

"I'm gay."

"Oh..." Her eyes widened momentarily in surprise. However, before Alec could second guess his decision to divulge that information, her expression changed and warmth filled her eyes. "I would say our hit rate as a couple is a zero then."

Alec chuckled a little.

“I wouldn't say zero, but it definitely wouldn't have worked out between us" Alec said with a relieved laugh in his voice. Even if he had only known Lydia for mere moments, he liked her.

“No, it certainly wouldn't have.” Lydia shook her head and then placed a hand atop his.

"Still, I'm happy to finally have a face to put to the name." She gave him another smile and Alec relaxed. "And we’ve undoubtedly met under preferable circumstances tonight," she added, waving her hand in an all-encompassing gesture.

"Yeah, that's true," Alec said with a soft chuckle.

Lydia withdrew her hand and picked up her cocktail.

"How long have you been working here at the club? I've never seen you here before."

"It's only been a few days."

"So you've not seen Magnus perform yet?" Lydia asked, taking a sip from her cocktail, her eyes remained focused on his.

Alec shook his head while picking up another wet glass to dry.

Lydia propped her elbows on the counter and leaned further forward.

"Then hold on tight, Alec. You will be blown away."

"I have no doubt," Alec replied quietly. He couldn't help sounding a little desperate.

Lydia eyed him for a moment longer, then she grinned wide and toothy.

“Don't forget to breathe.” She winked at him again.

Before Alec could reply, the lights dimmed and the soft jazz music that had been ambiently playing to entertain the patrons during the break came to an end.

The residual atmospheric chatter that lingered, murmuring through the club subsided, leaving only a heightened silence. As Alec gazed over towards the darkened stage. A single spotlight blinked on, revealing a solitary chair in the centre of the stage, its back facing the audience.

Alec held his breath. The time had come...

A low hum, full of expectations, rolled through the club, vibrating into the furthest corners of the large room. It also filled Alec, sinking deep into every part of his body until he felt himself shaking with excitement. Absently he reached for another glass if only to keep his trembling hands busy.

The first full notes of a melodic saxophone raised through the speakers. Quietly at first, almost hesitantly, but with every passing second the song became more demanding, more seductive, and more inviting. Then the drumming of a drum set broke through the melody of the saxophone. At the same moment, another spotlight blinked to life, revealing Magnus in all his glory.

 _Holy crap._ Alec couldn't help but stare. Even though he had already seen Magnus in this get-up only two hours earlier, now that he was on stage he seemed even more breathtaking. The illumination from the spotlight reflected every inch of his costume and he sparkled like a thousand stars in an infinite galaxy.

Magnus stood with his back to the audience, completely still, and let the growing music ensnare him as well as the spectators. Alec let his gaze wander over Magnus' back, past his perfect derrière and down his well-trained legs. Then his eyes fell on Magnus shoes and _shit..._ Magnus was actually wearing high heels. Why was he wearing high heels? _Oh yeah, right ... fuck..._ Burlesque show.

With the next beat of the drum, Magnus began to move, first swinging his hips in one direction, only to bring them to the other side with a smooth and well directed roll. Alec couldn't take his eyes off the stage. He was immediately captivated and completely spellbound by the seductive swaying of Magnus' hips. The initial whistles and roars of delight echoed through the club, beckoning Magnus to proceed.

Magnus glanced over his shoulder, a small smug slid across his lips. He knew he had everyone's full attention. He was little more than two minutes on stage, and he already had everyone wrapped around his metaphorical little finger.

Alec swallowed. He would willingly give Magnus his whole hand - no, his whole arm - just to see him dance. God, the man knew how to move.

Magnus winked at the audience and danced around the chair then sat down on it with his legs splayed apart, the back of the chair between his thighs, his face towards the audience. He reached his right hand out and let it hover over his right knee as if he was going to touch it. But he didn't. Instead, he ran his hand up along his thigh, a few inches from the fabric of his glittering pants. At this moment Alec wished for nothing more than for that to be his own hand - to caress Magnus' well-formed legs. He could almost feel the muscles under his fingertips, as though he were mirroring the delicate progression of Magnus' hand.

Alec bit his lower lip. Even though he had never touched Magnus, he knew that his skin would feel warm, silky and solid beneath his touch.

Magnus continued to run his hand along his body until he stretched his arm out over his head. With his other hand, he began to tug at the black fabric of his glove, pulling it off finger by finger from his hand and then tossing it into the crowd. The audience cheered loudly and Alec pressed his lips together tightly to avoid a whimper to fall from his lips.

Magnus cast a self-satisfied look out at the audience and repeated the action on the other hand until the pairing glove flew off the stage to join the first. Alec swallowed hard. If taking off a single pair of gloves was this erotic, how was he supposed to survive the rest of the performance? Alec hadn't the faintest idea.

With the following saxophone solo, Magnus rose from the chair, performing one sensual dance step after another. In one swift movement, he spun the chair around and sat down on it again. He threw his head back and spread his legs simultaneously.

Alec dropped the glass he had clutched in his hand.

It landed on the counter with a loud noise and rolled across the surface. Before Alec could react, it fell over the edge and shattered on the floor with a loud crash. _Shit…_

A few heads from the nearby tables turned in his direction and from the corner of his eye, Alec saw Maia shaking her head.

"Are you okay, Alec?" Lydia asked quietly. She was still sitting on the barstool in front of him, her head turned in his direction.

"Yes... Uh... Everything’s fine… Butterfingers." he said with an awkward curl of his lips.

A knowing grin tugged at Lydia's mouth before the lawyer focused back on the show.

Alec ran a hand over his face and glanced over to the stage. Magnus was watching him without interrupting his performance and rose from the chair in one smooth and elegant movement. Their eyes met and Alec forgot how to breathe. _Oh, God..._

Magnus held his gaze for a moment longer before continuing his erotic and sensual dance, consequently breaking their eye contact. Alec drew air in between his lips and into his lungs, almost too fast, it made him feel dizzy. He quickly sunk to his knees and leaned his forehead against the cold door of the cooler in front of him. The glass door vibrated against his face, but at least it cooled his overheated skin.

Another wave of cheers echoed through the club as Alec began to pick up the broken glass from the floor. Maia was suddenly knelt beside him, she had pulled out a bucket from under the bar.

"Thank you," Alec muttered.

"Are you okay?" Maia asked. She sounded genuinely concerned.

"Yes, everything's fine. But… _Jesus_ , couldn't you have warned me earlier? I feel like I'm watching him doing foreplay."

Maia giggled softly.

"The best is yet to come."

Alec made a tormented sound, then tossed the last of the broken glass into the bucket. After he stood up, his eyes were drawn immediately back to the stage.

Meanwhile, Magnus had taken off his glittery jacket. His upper body was now only covered by the translucent material of his shirt, teasing the spectators with what was hidden underneath the slightly transparent fabric. Muscles, nothing but bulging, well-toned hard muscles. Alec's mouth watered at the thought.

The music changed suddenly, a modern melody replaced the instrumental sounds of the twenties. It was a mix of faster rhythms paired with powerful beats of drums, which accompanied the song like the throbbing of a heartbeat. The music filled the club, mingling with the excited whispers of the audience until it penetrated every corner of the huge room, and cast a spell over every soul present. The melody whispered promisingly into their ears, trying to ensnare everyone until it finally left each of them breathless.

Alec was leaning heavily against the countertop at the back of the bar as a deep voice flowed from the overhead speakers. A shiver ran down his back and the hairs on the back of his neck stood in unison. It was… _Oh, God_ ... it was Magnus' voice. _Damn it_ , was there anything the man couldn't do?

However, Alec quickly realised that Magnus was not singing live. Yet the dark and earthy tone of his voice, that penetrated his ears and settled there, did not lose any of its effect. Magnus's voice came through almost breathlessly from the speakers, and it felt to Alec as though Magnus was breathing directly into his ear. Alec bit his lip to stop a whimper from loosening from his throat.

Magnus danced on the chair to the sounds of his own voice and circled his torso once before throwing his head back. With such flexibility that it surprised Alec, he swung one leg over the back of the chair so that he was sitting sideways on the seat. Then he ran his hand slowly along his upper body and Alec followed every single movement with his eyes, noticing every little step of Magnus' fingers. How they played with the buttons of his shirt. How they brushed the fabric teasingly. Alec could almost hear the faint rustling of the soft material as though he were standing right next to Magnus and not a few feet away. Alec's breath sped up and his blood rushed in his ears which his heart was pumping way too quickly through his body.

He was so captivated by Magnus' performance that he almost failed to notice one of the patrons demanding his attention. Uncurling his fingers from the edge of the counter top he had gripped so tightly to keep himself upright Alec moved over to his new customer. He hoped that he was able to successfully curb the storm raging inside him from view.

While serving the man, Alec watched as Magnus rose from the chair. Circling his hips, he danced around it, accompanied by the deep tones of the saxophone and his own voice. Magnus stopped in front of the chair, with his back to the bar and then, very slowly, he leaned forward, legs straight, and presented his derrière to the audience. He rocked back and forth a few times, almost awkwardly, and a laugh went through the audience. Magnus looked over his shoulder, a puzzled look on his face as if he had expected a different reaction.

Alec shook his head and smiled as he continued to make the cocktail for his customer.

Magnus stood up again and turned around to face the club's guests. He taps his lips with a finger as if thinking about something. Then suddenly his face lit up. In one smooth movement, Magnus moved next to the chair and placed a foot on the seat, giving Alec an unobstructed view of his shoes. Alec drew in a shaky breath between his clenched teeth.

 _Heavens above_ , the heel was at least four inches high, and he knew from Izzy that it took some practice to be able to walk on such stilts. Of course, Magnus managed it easily and Alec found that the high heels showed off Magnus' legs beautifully.

With a small smile on his face, Magnus leaned forward and began to open his pants at the side, one button at a time. Alec bit his lower lip, burying his teeth in the already abused flesh. After each inch, Magnus glanced towards the audience, almost as if he were asking for permission to continue. The people gave him what he wanted and cheered him on.

With a playful movement, Magnus pushed the fabric of the pants aside for a brief moment and revealed the secret that lay underneath. Alec had expected to just see bare skin, but that wasn't the case. Instead, Magnus presented black fishnet stockings. Alec almost dropped the bottle of rum.

Hastily, Alec completed the cocktail for his customer and cashed the man out. Within that short time, Magnus had unbuttoned the other side up to his waist and was now standing in front of the chair again. He circled his hips over and over again as he let his gaze wander over the audience.

Even though Alec now suspected what was going to happen next, he wasn't prepared for it in the slightest. In one quick, jerky motion, Magnus tore the pants off his body. Loud whistles and cheers filled the club, rolling over Magnus, enveloping him. He bathed in it like the king of a mysterious and forbidden empire and Alec had never seen anything more beautiful. The man was really a feast for the eyes, as he stood there on stage in fishnet stockings that covered his legs mid-thigh, in a long and slightly transparent shirt and high heels. Erotic sensuality dripped off of him in waves and spread with every beat of the music through the room.

Alec closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He never thought that a man in fishnet stockings could look so sensual. What kind of lingerie was Magnus wearing? Delicate lace panties or a jockstrap?

Although the shirt was slightly transparent, one could only guess that Magnus' underwear was tight and would reveal a lot of skin which would normally be hidden. Alec opened his eyes as a new wave of cheers filled the club.

Magnus had turned around, his back to the audience, moving his hips back and forth in small circular movements. Will he ...? _Oh, God... Yes!_

As before, Magnus leaned forward, cheered on by the expectant calls from the audience. With each inch he bent his upper body forward, his shirt slid up. Bit by bit. Inch by inch.

Alec held his breath. His heartbeat doubled and his hands were suddenly sweaty. As if in a state of shock, he watched the performance on the stage, unable to tear his eyes away.

' _Touch me, baby_ ', came from the speakers, hoarse and breathy, and Alec wanted to do just that. A faint gasp fell from his lips and his legs suddenly felt like jelly. It was verging on a miracle that he had not yet fallen to the floor.

 _Jesus_ , he had seen some erotic burlesque dances this week, but the way Magnus moved on stage, the way he played the audience, was on a level of its own. No wonder the people loved him so much. It was incredible, almost magical.

Magnus leaned further forward and then... He was wearing a thong. Magnus was wearing a damn black lace thong. Alec whimpered softly, and he felt his pants growing tight. _Shit..._

Alec barely had time to enjoy the exquisite sight when Magnus rose again in one quick, flowing movement. The shirt slipped back into place covering Magnus’ round buttocks from the curious eyes of the audience.

Magnus sat down on the chair, almost demurely, his thighs pressed together, his hands on his knees. He glanced around as if he was looking for someone in particular and then their eyes met for the second time that evening. Magnus winked at Alec playfully.

Alec wanted to look down, but he couldn't. He was too fascinated by what was happening on stage. By Magnus’ open, almost teasing gaze. By his gentle but seductive smile. By… _uhhh…._

Magnus raised his hands, allowing them to wander slowly along the buttons of his shirt, holding Alec's gaze the whole time. Then he began to unlatch his shirt, starting with the top button. Alec felt a sudden, burning heat swirling through him, with each passing second his chest rose and fell more rapidly as though he were running a marathon. The second button followed, their eyes remained interlocked. After the third button, however, Magnus just stopped. As if he was asking: _Do you want to see more?_

Alec swallowed hard, clinging for dear life to the edge of the counter behind him. Did he want Magnus to take off his shirt? Absolutely. Did he want to make it easy for him? Not a chance.

Therefore, Alec shook his head and bit his lip to stop a grin when Magnus raised an eyebrow in surprise. _You don't want me to continue?_

Alec licked his lips but shook his head again in a negative gesture. The air was tense, charged with sensual anticipation.

Magnus narrowed his eyes for a tiny second. Apparently, he hadn't expected this reaction, and neither had the audience. Alec himself didn't know where he got the strength and courage to withstand Magnus. A deep murmur went through the room, mingling with the now slower melody of the music.

Alec wondered if Magnus would ignore his negative response and just finish unbuttoning his shirt. After all, there was a room full of people to entertain. But Magnus was evidently not happy with Alec's reaction. He rose from the chair in one smooth movement. Dancing to the rhythm of the music towards the edge of the stage before walking down the few steps to the floor beneath, where the tables were.

 _Was it part of the show or was Magnus improvising?_ Alec glanced at Maia, who was mixing a cocktail, her gaze was however fixed on Magnus. She shook her head and the amused grin on her face made it clear to Alec that what was to follow now was definitely not part of the actual show. But it was apparently not the first time that Magnus had spontaneously changed the routine, if Alec was interpreting Maia's gaze correctly.

Alec didn't know if this was a good or a bad thing, and he nervously ran his tongue over his bottom lip. Magnus approached the bar like a predator stalking its prey. In a practically acrobatic movement, he heaved himself up onto the counter, directly on the place that was specially designated for some of the show's dance performances, only an arm's length away from Alec.

Magnus sat down on the counter with his back to Alec, crossing one leg over the other in a swift elegant motion. He began to remove his shoes, dropping them to the floor. Alec could make out dark strings under the slightly transparent shirt, strapped or tied around Magnus' torso. This was something Alec hadn't noticed before.

The rhythm of the music changed again and Magnus leaned back on the counter, lolling to the deep sounds of music. He stretched his body in an elegant arc and Alec gathered all his will to avoid reaching out and touching him. He could see tiny drops of sweat glistening on Magnus' forehead, affirming that the implementation of such a performance was more work than one would initially imagine. It all looked so easy and effortless.

With the next beats of the drums, Magnus rose to his knees. He put one hand behind himself, leaning on it and tilted his head back. With the other hand, he slowly roved up and down his upper body, still covered by his slightly transparent shirt; over and over again. Without warning, he suddenly began to move his hips up and down and Alec almost choked on his own tongue.

The movement brought out the bulge between Magnus' legs particularly well, leaving little room for interpretation of what was hidden beneath the thin fabric.

Alec pressed his fingernails into his palms, tearing his gaze away from Magnus' groin. Their eyes met once more, and Alec felt a hot fire dancing across his cheeks. A content grin appeared on Magnus' lips, followed by a few more thrusts of his hips before he was returning to his knees. He gave Alec another look. _And now?_

Alec couldn't help but nod as though he were in a trance. A triumphant smirk spread across Magnus' face. He toyed with the next button on his shirt, little by little, he undid the remaining buttons. With skilful movements of his shoulders, he freed himself from the garment, presenting the rest of his well-defined torso.

Alec let his eyes wander over Magnus' body. He didn't know what to focus on first. The strings of black, shimmering fabric had been neatly wrapped around Magnus' torso, accentuating the firm muscles that rippled beneath his smooth bronze skin. Dark blue star-shaped pasties covered Magnus' nipples, completing the glitter of his navel piercing and the rhinestones under his eyes. The cords of the body cage were connected to the fishnet stockings and the thong, which was little more than a small size, but it carefully covered everything. The whole outfit was a single creation of fine lace and elegant fabric, but without looking cheap. On the contrary. It was sensual and exciting, toying with the audience's imagination in a frivolous and sassy way, it was sexy and entertaining. It was utterly breathtaking.

Magnus rose with alert assurance, skilfully and lithely balancing the balls of his feet on the platform beneath him. He bent down yet again and picked up his shirt, then held it out toward Alec. The delicate material swayed back and forth on one of Magnus’ fingers, Alec would have only had to reach out to take it. He looked back and forth between the presented item of clothing and Magnus' face, hesitating to take it. The audience started encouraging him to do so and Magnus raised an eyebrow, a smug smirk on his lips. Alec rolled his eyes, then reached for the shirt. The audience immediately cheered enthusiastically, well satisfied.

With a somersault that would have made any circus performer green with envy, Magnus jumped off the counter and landed lightly on the floor. He danced back to the stage with almost cat-like movements. In which case, he offered Alec an exclusive view of his buttocks, which were separated by the thin string of his thong.

As soon as Magnus was on stage again, he collected a huge fan made of dark blue feathers, which was lying on the floor next to the chair. Magnus danced with the fan as if it were a lover he couldn't get enough of and once more cast a spell over his audience. With every roll of Magnus’ hips a spotlight switched off until he was dancing in a narrow beam of light, half-obscured behind the feathers.

A mischievous smile tugged on his lips and he looked around until his gaze landed once again on Alec.

Then, without warning, Magnus' thong was suddenly dangling from a practically invisible string hanging from one of his fingers. Magnus clapped his hand over his mouth in mock shock, his eyes wide. He pressed the feather fan protectively against his centre. The audience laughed and hooted, visibly satisfied with Magnus' show.

Alec's imagination shot through the ceiling at the piece of lace that dangled next to Magnus' head. Although it wasn't the only thing that rose towards the sky right then, leaving Alec to curse inwardly. He was just barely able to prevent a deep moan from rolling off his lips.

With the last beat of the drum, the lights went out over Magnus and the stage was enveloped in darkness, swallowing Magnus from one second to the next. The silence that followed was so thick and penetrating that everyone in the room held their breath. Then there was the first clap and soon the loud applause from the audience filled the club.

Magnus' dance had been a success and _fuck_... Alec was hard.

Harder than he’d ever been in his life. He was sure that he'd be able to drill a hole in the club's stone wall with his erection. Alec propped his hands on the countertop and hung his head, Magnus' shirt still between his fingers.

Maia appeared next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Wow, Alec. Magnus' dance knocked you off your feet, huh?"

Alec raised a hand and ran the other one over his face.

"I…"

Alec swallowed hard and resisted the urge to put his hand between his legs to create much-needed friction and relief.

"I'll be right back."

Without waiting for Maia's answer, Alec took long strides towards the door with the glittering warning sign and stepped into the rear area of the club. He walked down the hall and then pushed the door open to the restroom. Alec was relieved to see that none of his colleagues were in there at that moment. He walked quickly to the sink and splashed cold water on his face, hoping it would help him come down and curb the fire that was throbbing between his legs. He tried to think of something that would make his arousal vanish, but his thoughts kept returning to Magnus, inevitably fuelling the desire inside him. _Damn it..._

He had no other option than to jerk himself off. After all, he couldn't serve the club's patrons with a boner in his pants for the next two hours.

With Magnus shirt still in his hand, Alec walked into one of the empty lavatory stalls. He leaned heavily against the closed door and pressed his free hand against the bulge in his pants. The pressure of his hand took away some of the twitching arousal that was pounding hot through his veins, but it was nowhere near enough. He needed more.

Alec quickly freed himself from his suspenders, undid his pants and pushed them down together with his boxer shorts, they pooled around his feet. His erection sprang free, fully erect and an angry purple-red at the head. The cold air brushed over his heated skin, almost painfully, and Alec hissed between clenched teeth.

For a short moment, Alec stared down at his hard cock, hoping to get it to give up with sheer will power, but he was more likely to portal himself to Antarctica. It didn't help. He really had to lend a hand. With a choked gasp on his lips he closed his free hand around his throbbing erection and began to move up and down along his hot length in steady movements. First pulling on his length slowly and then faster and faster until his cock pulsed wantonly in his hand.

"Oh, shit..." Alec gasped while the motion of his hand increased in speed, almost blurring his vision. He tipped his head back, let it fall against the door with a soft thud and screwed his eyes shut while images of Magnus continued to run before his eyes, like in a slide show.

His whole body was shaking, and he was sure that his legs would give out from under him at any moment. Alec brushed his thumb over his sensitive glans at the tip as the muscles in his legs trembled uncontrollably, overwhelmed by the impulses emanating from his hot length. Alec was so aroused that it didn't take him long to reach his climax.

He dropped his head forward as his orgasm heralded with an electrifying rush. It rolled through him, spreading to the furthest corners of his body, then collecting in an exploding firework in his lap. His hip thrust forward one last time, and he came with a hoarse moan on his lips. His semen shot out of him in white thin ribbons, wetting his hand and the opposite wall of the stall as he continued pumping himself until he’d milked the last drop.

Alec bit his lip and closed his eyes as the incredible feeling of his orgasm rushed through his body. He pulled on his member a few more times, ran his thumb over the sensitive tip before he let go of himself.

_Fuck what did he do?_

Alec let his head fall back against the door and took a few deep breaths, trying to get his heavy breathing under control. He just hoped that no one from the team had paid the bathroom a visit in the meantime. With his eyes closed he wiped the traces of his climax from his hand and then let the cloth fall to the floor before he started to pull up his boxer shorts and pants.

As soon as he had dressed again and everything was well stowed away, his gaze fell on the cobalt blue fabric that he had just used to clean himself. It wasn't a random cloth as he had assumed. His brain, still foggy from his orgasm, hadn't realized that it was Magnus' shirt that he had used to remove the traces of his climax. A white spot was now clearly visible on the dark material.

_Oh, fucking hell ..._

He stared at the shirt with wide eyes, not knowing what to do with it. He certainly couldn't give it back to Magnus. Not like this.

_Lightwood, you're so stupid… Idiot!_

Alec ran a hand over his face. Hopefully, Maia knew of a discreet launderette nearby. Otherwise, he could start looking for a new job right away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and/or leave kudos. Both are highly appreciated! Thank you! 💖


	7. In the silence of the night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies,
> 
> Thank you so very much for the lovely comments for the previous chapter. I truly do appreciate it. 😊
> 
> Magnus and Alec will get to know each other more and more and there's a bit of flirtation... 😌😏😏😏
> 
> ***
> 
> If you want to tweet about this story/chapter, the hashtag is #boylesquefic and for those who don't know, I'm [@CommanderApril1](https://twitter.com/CommanderApril1) on Twitter. 😊
> 
> ***
> 
> Now, I wish y'all a happy reading. Enjoy!
> 
> April

It was quiet in Magnus' Club… As quiet as it could be after an eventful night at a thriving burlesque lounge. The various instruments were now stowed away and back in their cases, they would rest there until the musicians once again elicited the vintage sounds of the twenties and thirties from them with their skilful fingers. The dancers and cabaret artists had rid themselves of their glittering costumes, exchanging them for their normal, less conspicuous attire. Together with all the other skilled hands, they had once again returned to their normal life outside the club's sparkling entity and wouldn't slip back into their dazzling roles until the next evening, when it was once again time to entertain the guests with erotic dance as well as copious other diversions.

For most of the club's employees, the silence that lingered after a shift was of no consequence, certainly nothing special. It was something that many didn't really notice, after all. But for Alec, this all-encompassing silence was something that anchored him to the here and now. It wrapped him in like a warm blanket and helped him to momentarily forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Even during the time working at his parents' restaurant, he had often been the one who was left to close up shop. He'd frequently sent Izzy and Jace home, so he could clean up in peace and quiet, a welcome and complete solitude. He hadn't done it because he didn’t like or want the company of his siblings, on the contrary; but Alec had always been someone who could better sort through his thoughts when he was alone, and it wasn't any different in the here and now of his new life.

Initially, Maia and Bat had thought it’d been a joke when he told them he wished to clean, restock and prepare the bar for the next shift alone. But after he’d assured them that he really wouldn't mind, in fact, he’d prefer it, they'd happily left him to it, departing to each enjoy their well-deserved prospective evening.

Alec was still amazed at how quickly he had accumulated and settled into club life. Only a week and a half had passed since his first day here. It felt like he'd been working here a lot longer than that already. Sometimes in life, it was simply the case that one would come upon a new place and immediately and without great difficulty integrated into the existing structure. The fact that his colleagues had accepted him with open arms and treated him as if he had always been one of the team certainly contributed to the situation immensely.

Alec grabbed a bucket with cleaning solution and a clean rag. Lost in his thoughts, he went from one table to the next in a routine manner, cleaning away the evidence of spilt drinks made by that evenings’ patrons. Usually, the cleaning staff carried out this chore, scurrying through the club like little invisible gnomes the following morning. But Alec always found a special kind of peace in this simple task, and he hoped that it would help him to recover after his exhausting day.

It was not for the first time, the silence after work brought him closer to what he often lost during the hectic pace of daily life: himself. In this ambient silence, he was able to reflect on his thoughts, feelings and rearrange the chaos swirling inside him. Especially the emotional disarray that Magnus had established in his psyche since their first encounter.

With each new day, the growing interest in his boss threw Alec off-kilter more and more and since Saturday night it had increased exponentially, by leaps and bounds, it was akin to a snowball effect and Alec was no longer sure what to do. Try to ignore it or follow through with his feelings and desire?

It made him increasingly insecure and anxious because he didn't know how Magnus felt. Sure, Magnus flirted with him, which told Alec that he did, undeniably, find him attractive. But was it really genuine interest or just Magnus' easy and carefree way, that sunny air that he had with more or less all of his employees? Alec didn't want to get himself into an awkward situation by revealing his attraction to his boss, only to be rejected. After all, this was new territory for Alec…

With a desperate sound emanating through his lips, he dipped the rag back into the hot cleaning solution and meandered to the next table as his mind strayed back to Saturday's show.

He had learned from Maia that the performance on the bar had actually been extemporized by Magnus, and that was something that only made Alec all the more curious. Was Magnus just trying to impress him because he was the new guy? Or was he trying to tell him that he was, indeed, interested, or maybe he was just after something quick and meaningless? Alec frowned. He wasn't sure if he wanted to get involved in something like that if it was the case. It’s possible that he might be being too romantic, fanciful even, but he didn't want to lose his virginity over a one-night stand. No matter how hot and gorgeous this guy was.

Alec shook his head at his thoughts. Maybe he should just stop thinking about it, quell and wash away his desire under an ice-cold shower. That would certainly be the more sensible solution to his predicament. Alec made a dolorous expression and sighed softly. Why did Magnus have to be so damn breathtaking and irresistibly hot?

Alec reached for the bucket, so he could clean the last few tables. He pushed the thoughts of his dilemma aside and continued to wipe the tabletops down with practised and quick movements until they shone again. Then he brought the bucket with the now dirty cleaning solution back to the bar and dumped the contents into the sink. He was just about to wipe the basin down when a deep, warm honeyed voice approached him from behind.

"All alone cleaning up?"

Alec hadn't expected anyone else to still be in the club. He spun around slightly startled, knocking one of the last empty bottles that were destined for the bottle bin standing on the counter with his elbow. The bottle swayed dangerously back and forth, before falling over the counter's edge and onto the floor. If Alec hadn't been so surprised by Magnus' sudden appearance, he would surely have caught the empty bottle. But it shattered with a loud crash on the floor tiles and broke into hundreds of sharp shards. Alec cursed under his breath. _Shit, not again..._

"Jesus, Magnus… you scared me," Alec gasped and slumped against the counter behind him, one hand pressed against his chest. He could clearly feel the rapid pounding of his heart under his fingertips.

"Sorry, that wasn't my intention," Magnus said while slowly advancing towards him with an apologetic expression on his face. Alec hadn't seen Magnus all evening and was surprised to see that he was dressed rather plainly considering his standards. Instead of his expensive designer clothes (which gave Alec a minor heart attack every time he saw Magnus in them), his boss was wearing simple, light grey jeans and a dark, well-fitted t-shirt with cursive lettering that stated, ' _Do you like girls or boys? Yes!_ '. Of course, the slogan glittered in various shades of blues and purples.

Alec swallowed. This outfit didn’t make him look any less sexy. Magnus could probably wear a potato sack and Alec's mouth would still water. Especially seeing as the t-shirt was so tight that it almost looked as if it was painted on Magnus' body and showed off his arm muscles particularly well...

Alec quickly averted his gaze and tilted his head back, his eyes fixed on the ceiling above him. A few cobwebs in one corner of the room caught his attention. It had apparently been quite some time since someone had cleaned up there with a feather duster.

"Alec, are you okay?"

Alec shook his head as his shoulders began to vibrate. He bit his bottom lip and fought against the rising laughter that slowly but surely began to bubble in his chest. There was a slight crunching noise to his right and moments later he felt Magnus’ warm hand gently caress his shoulder.

"Alexander?"

Alec didn't know what was so funny about the situation. Maybe it was that Magnus had startled him for a second time, and he had reduced something into a pile of broken pieces again. Or maybe it was just the tiredness that slowly crept through his limbs in view of his recent late hours. Or maybe Magnus had just gone to his head. _Oh, God!_

Without being able to prevent it, the laughter made its way through his throat, tickling him there until it cascaded from his lips. Tears started to drop from his eyes, running down his cheeks while his body shook violently. Magnus probably thought he was out of his mind.

Alec ran the heel of his hand over his cheeks and gasped for air. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Magnus leaning against the counter with an amused smile curling his soft pink lips, his arms were crossed over his chest. Alec's eyes fell on Magnus' upper arms. _Jesus_ , the man really did have some well-formed biceps. How he would love to touch them, trace their appealing outline with his fingers, squeeze and feel how powerful Magnus really was.

Alec choked on his own drool as he became aware of his thoughts and his laughter promptly shifted into a coughing fit. _Shit..._

He turned around and leaned one hand on the counter, patting his chest with the other. More tears fell from his eyes, blurring his vision. Alec heard Magnus moving behind him and seconds later a glass of water appeared in front of his nose.

Thankful, Alec took the glass and emptied it rapidly with a few large gulps. The urge to cough subsided and Alec blew out a rush of warm air from between his lips in relief. He ran one palm over his face to wipe away the tears from his cheeks. Fortunately, he’d had the forethought of buying waterproof eyeliner.

"Thank you," Alec said, giving Magnus a shy smile. Magnus cocked his head to one side and grinned at him.

"It's my fault that this mishap happened in the first place, after all. The least I can do is keep my sexy bartender from choking on his own tongue."

 _What? Sexy?_ Did Magnus think he was sexy? Alec almost choked again. He quickly went to one of the sinks to wash the empty glass. His cheeks felt like he was walking through a bush fire.

Alec took a deep breath before turning back to Magnus. Then his gaze fell on the broken pieces of glass on the floor.

"I'll get something to sweep up this mess," Alec said, pointing towards the remnants of the bottle.

Before Magnus could reply, Alec hurried into an adjoining storeroom, it had two extra refrigerators, shelves full of supplies, stocks of unopened bottles, and other items that were needed for a functioning operation behind the bar. Alec closed his eyes for a moment and slowly counted down from ten. Why was he so nervous around Magnus tonight?

He ran a hand over his face before reaching for a brush and shovel. Then he promptly returned to the bar; and Magnus. His boss was already crouching on the floor, bussing himself with collecting the largest pieces of broken glass, he threw them into the rubbish bin he had pulled out from under the bar. Alec bent his knees as he hunkered down next to him. He began to pick up the smaller pieces with the shovel and then swept the rest up. Luckily the bottle had been completely empty.

Alec got up from his crouching position at the same time as Magnus. Suddenly they were standing so close to each other that the scent of sandalwood and something else just as heady wafted its way into his nostrils as he took a deep breath. Alec could distinctly feel the warmth emanating from Magnus' body, there was hardly more space between them than that equal to a few sheets of paper.

Magnus peered up at him through his lashes without moving or taking a step back and Alec felt his heartbeat rapidly pick up. Their eyes met and interlocked a tad too long for it to have had no significance. Alec swallowed hard and ran the tip of his tongue between his dry lips.

His eyes flickered to the soft pillows of Magnus' mouth. All he had to do was to lower his head, just a little and their lips would touch. Oh... Alec felt a warm tingle at the back of his neck. Magnus' eyes were suddenly so dark and deep, pools of obsidian, they reminded Alec of strongly brewed coffee. Gently, as if in slow motion, Alec began to lower his head.

However, before their lips could meet, a door slammed somewhere in the distance. Alec winced and blinked a few times like he was coming to from some sort of trance. _Damn it_ , what was he doing?

Alec swallowed thickly and took a hasty step backwards, bringing the necessary distance between himself and Magnus. An irritated but almost vulnerable expression flashed across Magnus' eyes. But it disappeared so quickly that Alec was sure he’d probably just imagined it.

"Uhm ... I'll be right back."

Alec turned on his heel and went back into the adjoining storeroom with swift steps. He hung the brush and shovel back in place and leaned his back against the cool concrete wall behind him for a moment. Throwing his head back, he stared at the ceiling and tried to calm his beating heart. _Damn it_ , that was close. He had almost kissed Magnus. _Shit..._

Alec made a low, desperate sound that rumbled in his sternum, turned around to lean his forehead against the cool wall.

“What the hell were you thinking?" Alec muttered to himself, banging his head against the rough concrete wall a few times. _Fuck, that hurt_. Alec grimaced and straightened himself up. Carefully he ran his fingers over his forehead and was relieved to see that there was no blood there.

"Alexander? ” Magnus called from the bar.

Alec ran a hand over his face trying desperately to regain his equilibrium.

"I'll be right there," Alec replied, glancing quickly around the room. He saw a couple of empty bottles half-hidden behind a storage box.

“I'm just putting away a few empties."

Alec grabbed the empty bottles in one hand letting them knock against each other a few times to make it sound like he was busy stowing them away into one of the beverage crates for recycling to buy himself a few moments to gather his thoughts.

He took a couple of deep breaths and then walked back to the bar. Meanwhile, Magnus had made himself comfortable on one of the empty barstools and was fiddling with his cell phone. He looked up however when he noticed that Alec was back behind the bar.

"Everything okay?"

“Sure, everything is fine."

Magnus knitted his brows together for a scant moment. Alec thought that his boss was going to say something more, but he remained silent, fixated and focused on his phone.

Alec ran the knuckle of his right forefinger over his forehead. What should he do now? He had concluded his duties for the night and could go home if he wanted, but something was stopping him.

"Would you like something to drink?" Alec asked before he could stop the words from slipping out. _Uhm..._

Magnus looked up in surprise. He gazed at one of the display shelves behind the bar, letting his eyes wander over the many bottles and then looked back at Alec.

"Why not."

"What would you like?" Alec asked.

Magnus cocked his head and a lopsided grin appeared on his face.

"Surprise me."

Alec blinked once, then nodded slowly.

"You sure?"

"Are you sure?" Magnus asked, one eyebrow raised.

Alec rolled his eyes, but a grin unfolded itself on his lips, slowly pushing the corners of his mouth upwards. Alec couldn’t help the broad smile that followed as he nodded.

"Yeah."

An idea was already forming in his head and Alec immediately began to gather the necessary ingredients. Fortunately, Magnus' bar was equipped and stocked for special and exotic cocktails, so it was no problem for him to find everything he needed.

Alec put all the ingredients in a shaker and then skilfully shook the various liquids gently for a short time until the crushed ice was almost diluted. With practised movements, he poured the cocktail into a suitable glass. During which, he could feel Magnus' gaze on him, but at that moment he didn't let that distract him. Alec decorated the glass with a lime wedge and stuck a thin wooden stick into the fruit slice, which he then expertly lit with a lighter from his pants pocket. A fine wisp of smoke rose from the piece of wood and enveloped Alec. He inhaled the scent of sandalwood deeply and his cheeks warmed as he realized where his inspiration had originated. He promptly fought the warmth of a rising blush on his face as he slipped a small black straw in the glass and set the finished cocktail in front of Magnus. His boss curiously eyed the drink as one eyebrow raised sceptically.

"What’s the incense stick for?" Magnus asked while inspecting and sniffing the concoction in front of him. "Sandalwood?" He inquired further, a faint smile shaping his lips.

Alec ducked his head. Apparently, Magnus knew precisely where this idea had come from.

"Yes, the distinctive smell of the sandalwood compliments the other ingredients in the cocktail," Alec explained, peering over at Magnus. "This way each of your taste buds will be perfectly stimulated. A real euphoric mix, from fruity-sweet to exotically-spicy."

"Sounds almost like an aphrodisiac," Magnus joked and Alec choked on his tongue for the second time that evening. Magnus had literally hit the nail on the head without knowing it. The name of the cocktail was in fact Aphrodisiac. Not that Alec believed the ingredients had such an effect. Izzy had found the recipe a few months ago while researching new recipes for mixed drinks on the internet. The cocktail never made it onto the restaurant's drink list, however. Nevertheless, the name and the extraordinary mix of ingredients had stuck in his mind.

"What's in here?" Magnus queried and eyed the glass again. Alec leaned against the counter of the bar behind him with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Why don't you just give it a try and find out?"

Magnus grinned.

"Okay… "

"You sure? "

"Yes," Magnus confirmed and then took a tentative sip, seductively sucking the black straw between his lips. Alec felt his knees weaken at the sight. Magnus' lips puckered slightly as he closed them around the straw and his Adam's apple bounced with every swallow as he sipped the cocktail. Alec was positive that Magnus was undeniably most skilled at sucking on… _Uuuh ... stop!_ He was literally acting like one of those horny teenagers again.

"Wow, that's really good," Magnus said in surprise.

"Did you expect anything less?" Alec asked. His voice was a little rough and breathless.

"I don't know. Should I have expected anything else?" Magnus' voice was now decidedly darker than before. Alec lowered his head and worried on his lower lip.

"Maybe," he replied slowly, looking through his lashes at Magnus. _Christ_ , was he flirting back right now?

Magnus raised an eyebrow defiantly.

"Really? "

Before Alec could reply, Magnus pushed the straw back between his lips and coyly sucked on it again, gazing deep into Alec’s eyes as he did. Alec quickly bit against the inside of his cheek, stopping the desperate whine that was forming in his throat from slipping out. However, he couldn't stop the warm feeling that unfurled inside his stomach as it slowly wandered south.

"So?" Alec asked, preventing his mind from planting more inappropriate thoughts into his head.

Magnus closed his eyes for a moment and slightly knitted his eyebrows together as if he was thinking. He sucked on the straw again and then licked his lips somewhat flirtatiously with the tip of his tongue, making a satisfied, deep hum. Alec felt like he was in his very own, personal erotic show. Would he be able to elicit such noises from him in another setting?

"Vodka, pineapple juice and definitely a touch of vanilla. But the rest... Unfortunately, I have no idea, Alexander."

Alec, furrowed his brow and narrowed his eyes in confusion. P _ineapple juice? Vanilla?_ What was Magnus talking about? _Oh, yeah…_ _of course_ , the cocktail ingredients. _Lightwood, pull yourself the fuck together._ Alec watched Magnus lick his lips again. Uhm...

"Kalê and Yuzu juice," Alec revealed, shoving his lewd thoughts into the darkest corner of his mind. "Kalê is an exotic herbal liqueur that has a refreshing note and the Yuzu juice rounds off the cocktail in a bitter-sour way."

Magnus nodded approvingly.

"You really know what you're doing, Alexander. I'm impressed."

Alec lowered his gaze and felt warmth shot into his cheeks once more. He didn't know how to react to Magnus' compliment. He had never received any recognition from his parents for his work. He had never been good enough.

"Alexander?"

Alec looked at Magnus.

"Yes? "

"I told you not to hide your smile from the world."

"But I ..." Alec began, closing his mouth when he saw Magnus teasingly raised eyebrows. Alec bit his lower lip, but that only caused Magnus' eyebrow to move towards his hairline further.

Alec rolled his eyes and the corner of his mouth tugged upwards. When he felt the smile forming on his lips, he just shook his head.

"You are impossible, Magnus."

"Oh, really?" Magnus asked, grinning. He relaxed his elbows on the counter and rested his chin on his hands. Then he took another sip of his cocktail without shifting his gaze. Alec felt like he was sinking, enveloped in warm dark lakes of chocolate and honey. He gasped softly. If Magnus continued like this, Alec was really going to lose his damn mind and so much more.

"Stop it," Alec scolded half-heartedly.

Magnus cocked his head innocently.

"Stop what?" Magnus asked, almost irritated, as if he didn't know what Alec was talking about. But the mischievous twinkle in Magnus' eyes told Alec otherwise.

Alec rolled his eyes once again and reached for the cocktail shaker. He urgently needed to distract himself. With routine actions, he cleaned the shaker and then put away with the rest of the utensils that he had used for Magnus' cocktail.

"How did you become a bartender?" Magnus suddenly asked, resting his chin on his hand again.

"Well, this is actually my first job behind a bar," Alec admitted. He glanced at Magnus while he put the bottle of expensive vodka back onto its shelf. Apparently, Raphael hadn't given him any of his information, if he read the surprised look on Magnus' face correctly. "I was responsible for mixing drinks at my parents' restaurant, I learned all the basics there."

"Then it is all the more impressive that you were able to sway Raphael."

Alec shrugged nonchalantly.

"A bartender’s job is not all that difficult, It's just about mixing drinks."

"Oh, I'm sure that there is more to the job than just mixing alcoholic beverages. Being on your feet all the time, barely even taking a breath when all the guests are storming the bar simultaneously. Having an open ear for everyone, listening to all the problems and making sure to put a smile on their faces, no matter how _you_ feel. I don't imagine it’s all that easy. I'm sure, it’s most certainly quite exhausting." Magnus frowned. "So it is all the more surprising to me that Maia and Bat left you alone to clean up."

"I asked them to," Alec explained quickly before Magnus could draw the wrong conclusions.

A puzzled look appeared on Magnus' face.

"Why?"

Alec ran a hand over his forehead, then laid his hands flat on the counter in front of him.

"It might sound strange, but the silence after a shift has a calming effect on me. It helps me to sort through my thoughts." Alec looked down at his hands. "Sure, I could probably use the silence at home, but when I am here I don't feel so alone, even if I am. I mean, it feels like I can still hear the echoes of daily life and that somehow calms me."

Magnus reached out and placed his hand over Alec's.

"I don't think that sounds strange at all. On the contrary."

Alec looked up and was relieved to see that Magnus was serious about what he had just said.

"I hope I'm not being too inquisitive, but what worries you so much that you required this silence tonight?”

 _You…_ Alec’s mind hollered.

"Uhmm ... Nothing special. I just wanted to assess the day." Alec pulled his lower lip between his teeth. "And I miss my siblings."

Magnus moved his head to the side in a questioning manner.

"How many siblings do you have? "

Alec crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his hip against the counter.

"I have three siblings."

"Are they older or younger than you?" Magnus asked while he played with the charred remnants of the incense stick.

"I am the oldest of us."

"Tell me about them," Magnus said. A faint smile tugged at his lips and Alec could see that he really was interested in learning more about his siblings. "If you like, of course. "

“Well, where do I start?” Alec laughed. "Jace is only a year younger than me, and he is someone who is a hell-bent on getting his own way. I don't know how many times I've saved him from any given situation." He chuckled again, shaking his head as a few distinct memories spring to his mind. "He's adopted. But he is, in every way that matters, a brother to me.” Alec lowered his gaze and brushed the tip of his foot across the floor, drawing invisible circles on the tiles.

"Izzy is the only girl among us. She loves glitter as much as you do. You would certainly get along well. She is not only my sister but also the best friend I could have ever asked for in life. She helped me learn to accept myself for who I am. Especially when it comes to my sexuality. "

"Sounds like she is a wonderful sister."

Alec nodded.

"Yes, she is. "

Alec looked up and saw that Magnus was looking at him with warmth, almost admiration in his eyes.

"Well, and then there's Max. He's the youngest in the family, but you should not let his age fool you. He consumes books as other children do candies and understands more about the world around him than you might initially think."

"You are very close to your siblings, aren’t you?"

“They are the most important people in my life."

"I can tell," Magnus said, giving him such a warm smile that Alec thought for a moment that he was looking straight into the sun. Alec blinked a few times. Usually, he found it difficult to talk or open up to other people, but with Magnus it was different. With Magnus, it was as easy as breathing; at least at this moment.

“Do you have any siblings, Magnus?” Alec wanted to know.

Magnus shook his head, his bright smile instantly evaporated, leaving a forlorn expression in its place. Alec instantly regretted asking the question.

"No. I'm an only child. So there isn't much to talk about." Magnus bowed his head. He let go of the sandalwood stick and ran his fingers over the silver ear clip on his left ear. Alec had not yet witnessed Magnus so tense or melancholy during the short time he had known him.

A deep frown formed between Alec’s brow. W _hat had happened to Magnus in the past to cause such a reaction?_

"How did you come to own a burlesque club?" Alec asked quickly, effectively changing the subject. He didn't want the conversation to end yet and Magnus was clearly too affected and unwilling to talk about his family.

"Well, I like to dance, and I love glitter, as you have already noticed." Magnus grinned and Alec was glad the sad expression on Magnus' face disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. "I started here as a dancer and then took over the club when the owner retired."

"How long ago was that?"

Magnus tapped his lower lip with his index finger as if thinking about it.

"Seven years now."

Alec's eyes widened. If Magnus hadn't taken over the club when he was a minor, he was a lot older than Alec.

"Uhm, how old were you when ... I mean, when did you ..." Alec pressed his lips together, frustrated that he couldn't get the words out of his mouth without stuttering.

"I'll be 31 next month if that's what you want to know."

Magnus winked at him and Alec quickly ducked his head. _Wow_ , Magnus was eight years older than him. He looked much younger than that. Alec had thought Magnus was only, maybe three or four years older than him at most.

Magnus suddenly rose from the barstool and stretched his arms over his head and into the air.

"It's gotten late, Alexander. Time to go home."

Alec glanced at the clock that hung next to the mirrored wall. It was almost 4 am. _Oh, wow ..._ Alec had not perceived the passing of time. No wonder he felt so drained.

"How are you getting home?" Alec asked.

Magnus blinked in confusion.

"With my car. How else?"

Alec shook his head.

"That cocktail was strong and unquestionably not your first drink this evening."

Magnus raised his brows in wonderment.

"How do you know? "

"I’m a bartender. Remember?"

Magnus made a perturbed face but nodded as he acknowledged this to be true.

"You're right. I shouldn't be driving." Magnus stated a little terse.

Alec narrowed his eyes in confusion. Why did Magnus sound so stressed all of a sudden?

"I'll call a taxi," Magnus said. "Thanks for the cocktail. One day you’ll have to tell me what it's called. Maybe I'll even put it on the menu."

Alec ran a hand over the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"I could drive you," Alec suggested rather quickly.

Magnus turned back to him, swaying to-and-fro a little.

"You don't need to. I can certainly take a taxi.”

Alec detached himself from the countertop and walked around the bar.

"It's not a big detour for me. I really don't mind."

Magnus cocked his head and studied him for a moment.

"You don't even know where I live."

Alec bit his lip and turned his head sideways. As countless times that evening, another traitorous blush spread over his cheeks.

"I…"

Magnus tenderly placed a hand underneath Alec’s chin, his thumb softly tracing the distinct angles of Alec’s jawline, he gently urged Alec’s face towards his, pressing for Alec to meet his gaze.

"I am happy to accept your kind offer. Thank you, Alexander."

Alec nodded slowly, unable to answer intelligently at that moment. Magnus was standing so close, directly in front of him; Alec could easily detect the scent of sandalwood that was emanating from him. Only now reinforced by the smoke from the incense stick that had settled in Magnus' hair.

"Well, let’s go, pretty boy," Magnus said.

He turned sharply and walked away from Alec without waiting for a reaction. Had Magnus actually just described him as pretty? Alec blinked in dubiety.

Before Alec could think about it any further, something colourful caught his attention and Alec's gaze fell to Magnus' pants. His jaw dropped instantly when he noticed the slogan on the grey fabric, directly under the trouser pocket, which was embroidered with a winking emoji.

_'Pull me down and fuck me'_

Without Alec being able to evade it, a picture of them together popped into his head, causing his libido to skyrocket so fast that Alec made a choked sound.

"Fuck, Magnus," he gasped. His eyes widened in shock when he realized he had spoken the words out loud. He quickly put his hand over his mouth, hoping to be able to withdraw his statement somehow.

Magnus shot him a look over his shoulder that showed Alec he had heard his words quite clearly.

"Whenever you fancy, Alexander."

Magnus winked at him and then ascended the stairs to the exit, leaving behind a completely bewildered and flustered Alec standing motionless at the bar.

Before Alec could gather enough brain cells together to form a coherent thought, those that hadn’t already gone up in flames, Magnus called down the stairs.

"Are you coming?"

The low whimper that fell from Alec’s lips dissipated, ebbing away into the calm and quietness of the club.

Perhaps he should toss his overly idealistic romantic view about his virginity overboard. Alec made a frustrated whimper. After tonight, he was pretty certain of Magnus’ interest in him. At least in one way...

But could he even survive one night with Magnus, Alec certainly wasn't convinced of that…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please drop a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and/or leave kudos. Both are highly appreciated! Thank you! 💖

**Author's Note:**

> Please drop a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and/or leave kudos. Both are highly appreciated! Thank you! 💖


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